


Awakening of the Azure Moon

by Cendrinus



Category: Fire Emblem: Fuukasetsugetsu | Fire Emblem: Three Houses, Fire Emblem: Kakusei | Fire Emblem: Awakening
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, F/M, Female My Unit | Byleth, Glenn Fraldarius and My Unit | Reflet | Robin are the Same Person, Male My Unit | Byleth, Male and Female Robin both exist, Mentioned Sothis (Fire Emblem), Minor Ingrid Brandl Galatea/Glenn Fraldarius, No character bashing, Not A Fix-It, Too many variables make interference a mixed bag., Work In Progress
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2021-02-14
Updated: 2021-03-08
Packaged: 2021-03-14 17:35:03
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 15
Words: 17,643
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29422428
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Cendrinus/pseuds/Cendrinus
Summary: High Queen Byleth, the true incarnation of Sothis and her irreplaceable Dimitri are in a bind...What was intended as a heartwarming reunion has turned to madness.Though she finally tracked down her husband's long thought dead companion Glenn they are horrified to discover he is lost to the Grima Fell Dragon's control. She'd love to send aid or even directly intervene but as King Dimitri explained to Naga's spirit, the Holy Kingdom of Fargeus has only just reclaimed its former splendor and unity. Neither civilians nor Nobility will consent to another war especially one so far across the sea.As the Progenitor Goddess Byleth isn't without options to go around them, unfortunately, circumstances being as they are; the most practical solution involves relying upon her own son Radimir and his generation. Tracing over Naga's portals to the past proves the easy part.  the real difficulties are in eliminating key threats before they can become an obstacle both in Ylisse and right here in Fodlan's own past.
Relationships: Chiki | Tiki/Original Male Character(s), Chrom/My Unit | Reflet | Robin, Cyril/Hilda Valentine Goneril, Dimitri Alexandre Blaiddyd/My Unit | Byleth, Dorothea Arnault/Felix Hugo Fraldarius, Emerina | Emmeryn/My Unit | Reflet | Robin, Emmeryn and Glenn Fraldarius, Frederick/Liz | Lissa, Gerome/Lucina (Fire Emblem), Marc | Morgan & Nn | Nah
Comments: 14
Kudos: 21





	1. Introductions - Part 1

**Author's Note:**

> Hello, it's a pleasure to meet you!   
>  As I'm sure you're aware this work is blatantly inspired by other far more talented individuals!
> 
> So in the interest of giving credit where credit is due, I suggest you check out the works of these wonderful authors (None of whom I've made contact with other than occasional kudos) https://archiveofourown.org/users/Kurakynr/pseuds/Kurakynr/works?fandom_id=782522 & https://archiveofourown.org/users/UnknownHorizom/pseuds/UnknownHorizom/works?fandom_id=23985107
> 
> This mess right here is the result of my very selfish desire to have my cake and eat it too!   
>  You see as much as I love the idea of Male Robin (Daraen as he's called here) being Glenn Fraldarius and the potential drama, I am also too much of a ChRobin addict to ever exclude her! 
> 
> SO I did some thinking and after lots of back and forth on a certain Dimileth discord, I finally pieced this proper summary and character introduction together. A way to shamelessly put my own spin on the ideas of people far more gifted than I could ever dream of being! 
> 
> Honestly, it's my hope that posting this reference will force my lazy behind to actually contribute to this fandom instead of staring at the screen waiting for updates!
> 
> Let's just hope I don't embarrass myself too much.. though it's probably FAR too late Lol!

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Technically Not Chapter One,   
> this is more an introduction to the story. Essentially Supplemental material offering the beginnings of a character guide with little hints of where our story is going.
> 
> (Goodness I hope that doesn't come across as pretentious! Anyway, This is round one of those edits I kept promising! Obviously, this isn't the final versio. but I like to pretend I'm showing signs of progress! )

**Character Introductions**

Introducing Daraen & Robin:

 **Glenn Fraldarius Though the Shepards of Ylisse know him only as Daraen.**

The eventual husband of current Exalt Emmeryn Lowell (Eventually will be the 'former Exalt' but that's neither here nor there!) following the events of the 'original timeline' Daraen was father to 'Second Princess' Morgana Lowell Daraen became renowned through his services as the Primary Tactician for his allies in the Sheperards. - a voluntary military force created by First Prince Chrom Lowell to bolster his Halidom's security after their depraved King's brutality to both Plegia and his own people cost Ylisse their global standing and respect.

In the original timeline, devoid of interference from third parties; by age twenty-one, Daraen remembered nothing of his past. Not the torture he endured at the hands of the Grimleal cultists nor the loving father and little brother he once had in Fodlan as Glenn Fraldarius. 

Robin Princess Consort is a Sorceress serving the Shepards as a powerful infantry mage. In all three timelines, Robin will Eventually find herself becoming the wife of a than First Prince Chrom; leading her to be the mother of both 'First Princess' Lucina and 'First Prince' Marcus.

Found unconscious alongside Daraen, where a then-First Princess Lissa immediately assumed her to be the somewhat older gentleman's "younger sister". In this current timeline of many interferences which results in Robin becoming every bit an Amnesic as her "elder brother" though it should be noted that Robin's memories were purged by sheer accident. an accidental workings of the Future Grima who followed that future Lucina and her comrades to the past.

Grima's goal in following Lucina was not only motivated by self-preservation but also an attempt to amplify his own formidable power by stealing the younger Daraen's body early on. He encountered them at an outskirts village (as the "siblings" fled Plegia to the safety of Ylisse in search of political asylum), Sadly for Grima, because Glenn's underdeveloped body could not handle it, his essence was forcibly evicted by Glenn and injured in the process forcing him to flee... it's through the ensuing magical backlash that would damage an unconscious Robin's memories leaving her without the key information that would have been very beneficial.

\-----

Kidnapped at age 15, upon being assumed dead in Duscar, Glenn was instead traded to Validar of the Grimleal by agents of a dark and twisted organization calling themselves Those Who Slither in the Dark.

It was after experiencing repeated disappointment in reviving Grima's soul within his own daughter by blood, a 14-year-old girl by the name Robin, that Validar decided to try something different.

Robin may not be weak in terms of magical potency, but her physical body is woefully incompatible with Grima's soul.

having heard of the mysterious Crests found exclusively in Fodlan, but knowing of their connection to ancient dragons... Validar was struck by inspiration. After finally negotiating with an arrogant fool calling himself by the name of Arundel; Validar received his prize in the form of an unconscious Glenn.

Upon surviving a year of torturous experimentation, Glenn was now a blank slate ripe for the final steps. indeed shortly before what would have been his 17th birthday, Glenn's crest is reborn in Grima's image. his once dark hair turned white and formerly Sunrise orange eyes now an eerie gold.

Calling the now amnesic boy Daraen, Validar forces him to study Plegian etiquette and various Grimleal magics before finally introducing him to his Grimleal circle. Officially he's presented as a previously unknown bastard now legitimized and made heir, officially disowning his 'worthless' 'pathetic' daughter he arranges for Robin to be sacrificed as a blood offering at a certain alter in Grima's name.

To Validar's dismay before she could be bled out, a childish Dark Mage by the name of Henry rescues her on a whim, killing his mentor and sending his crows to provide distraction

While Robin wants nothing further to do with the Grimleal and recognizes this as an opportunity for the freedom she's craved, Robin's sense of justice combined with what little she knows of his origins,she still can't bring herself to just abandon the older boy Daraen to her former father's machinations.

After recovering from that ordeal Robin begs Henry to help her recover Daraen, promising him what little she has left to her name for his aid so 'Daraen' can be returned home to Fodlan.

Henry is amused but not interested in accepting the few precious jewels or gold ornaments adorning her black Mage gear, though he does agree to help, finding the notion exciting.

The rescue goes quite well. honestly well enough to the point it's anti-climatic...! It seems for all Validar's insistence that he's his father, and many gifts being thrown upon him some large part of Daraen's mind has vehemently rejected the man... Thus he goes willingly, especially after Robin procures documents from Validar's study for them to research together later on.

unfortunately, due to the intrusions in the timeline, circumstances will ensure these documents are all but forgotten at least for a time... there simply won't be any opportunity in the near future to examine them.

a few weeks of running they successfully made their way to the Ylisse border for Asylum where they encounter said disaster leaving them both for dead.

Perhaps inevitably they are found by Prince Chrom and his Shepard's though the flow of events will diverge drastically from history's intended path...

(Early the following morning After the surprise attack by Risen two distinct figures would approach a hiding Lucina, one, in particular, a handsome young man is brimming with excitement while the other, a beautiful young lady struggles desperately to keep him calm)

Meanwhile across the sea in Fodlan 5 additional interlopers exit a separate portal... By delibeate design, it has deposited them exactly 4 whole moons before "The Blade Breaker' Jeralt Eisner and his daughter the Ashen Demon - A newly certified 'Warlock' aspiring to reach the coveted title of 'Gremory' 'Byleth' alongside her older brother the Charismatic Aster - a successful 'Grappler' whose very nearly achieved the classification "War Master'- In FOur moons time The Eisner family will make their fateful encounter with the Three fated heirs to Fodlan's future... Dimitri, Claude and Edelgard.

For now this moment only heralds the arrival of these future interlopers eager to make their case before the current Archbishop- Saint Seiros herself. Though she's currently going by her true name given to her by Sothis; Rhea.


	2. Continuing our introductions (2.0 yet still incomplete)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A mostly proper Introduction to High Prince Radimir Alexi Blaiddyd. it's through him as our proxy where we learn additional details of his mother Queen Byleth's motivations and her adamant beliefs...  
>  While saving Glenn from Grima's corruption is certainly important (for everyone's sake) Neither she nor her beloved Dimitri is overlooking the big picture.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello Again!  
> Thank you for joining in to witness my humiliation as I ramble along through yet another character introduction; once again laced with plot developments and future spoilers of exactly where our story is going!
> 
> Edit: YAY! Finally another round of refinements! Turns out I'm not completely unreliable! *Ok my incompetence is no secret, but even baby steps count as progress!

A few short days after Lucina and her future Shepards have entered Naga's portals, journeying over twenty years into the past; it's across the pond in Fodlan whereby necessity our attention is finally directed.

At Nineteen-years-old Radimir Alexi Bladdyd is truly proud to be his parent's son, That said he freely admits their combined legacy is at times... intimidating to live up to. 

the respective birth of his three younger siblings, (The proud and stoic Eisner, twin brother to the Relaxed and easy-going Lambert, followed by the all-loving and ambitious Sitri) Certainly eased that burden considerably... some vocal part of his mind only feels worse, believing he's unloading his work and responsibilities to his people upon their shoulders.

While Radimir's loving parents assure him this line of thought is patently false, his insecurities never truly went away.

Regardless he is not all angst and gloomy monologues, at his core Radimir is a rather happy person who adores his family and friends to a near-obsessive degree.

After hearing the explanation of the overall situation from his father King Dimitri Radimir believes he now has a solid understanding of the expectations for him and his six friends. At its heart their mission to the past seems simple and clear to the point. In providing assistance to a foreign princess named Lucina Lowell whose goal is to save her father and avert the disastrous events of Grima's resurrection which ultimately left Ylisse desolate and destroyed - a literal wasteland. Though according to his mother both the High Queen of Faergheus and Archbishop of the Church of Sothis, Somehow exactly two days ago to be precise; Grima's presence miraculously vanished from their world.

Neither of Radimir's parents are naive to believe he's dead, in fact Byleth is convinced Grima somehow managed to follow the Ylissian Princess.

In the hours before Radimir is to leave, his regal mother takes him aside and asked him if he wouldn't be opposed to helping convince his friends to also accomplish a concurrent mission... one to be accomplished separately. You see Time-wise she is sending them four months in advance, to any major events in Fodlan's war of Unification so theoretically this gap offers plenty of time to get the groundwork in place.

As Queen Byleth clarified, at the risk of seeming insensitive to Lucina; the events unfolding in Ylisses do have over a decade before they reach anywhere close to the point of no return so one could argue there's no real rush...

Radimir is both delighted at the show trust but also overwhelmed by the idea of so many lives hanging in the balance... not to mention the understandable fear of disappointing his mother.

Recognizing the turmoil in he's so desperate to hide, Byleth continues on gently explaining how Radimir could use this opportunity to minimize the bloodshed in Fodlan's inevitable War of unification.  
To be honest; Radimir's first instinct is to wonder aloud if the war is even necessary... After all the critical lens of history long exposed the simple truth that most of the former 'Flame' Emperor's power came from her dark alliance with the openly cruel and unabashedly wicked cultists; Those who Slither in the Dark.  
Surely by eliminating them as an obstacle early on, Edelgard will realize she has lost her main proxy (and source of excuses) while coming to see reason... Perhaps she will consent to negotiations with Faerghues and Leicester to achieve her more noble goals via less bloody alternative to war?

to his sadness, the Queen mournfully expresses that idea is out of the question. Byleth has asked herself that same question even used her considerable power as Sothis's flesh and blood incarnation to assist her husband Dimitri and her elder brother Aster in studying parallel timelines... desperately Praying for a 'Golden route' one containing a path to happiness for everyone! 

Tragically in each and every timeline, Emperor Edelgard refuses to even offer token consideration. Horrific it may be, the fact remains, Edelgard is fundamentally broken. The torture she endured at the hands of Thales and his minions ensured she is simply mentally incapable of compromise. If you are not with her, in full support of all her misguided decisions that makes you an obstacle to be incinerated.

Indeed every single time, Byleth explored at any point whenever a hand of mercy is offered Edelgard always chooses to die a perceived martyr over her selfish ideals.

Don't get Byleth wrong, At that point in history, The Church of Seiros (Predecessor to the Church of Sothis) was far from perfect. In fact, it was inarguably a very flawed existence. No one is arguing against the fact Lady Rhea did her very best to make things work... ultimately the task was a burden she was ill-equipped to deal with. Especially in trying to do so alone, Rhea's own traumatic baggage ensured she could never truly be impartial.

Of course, what Edelgard Hresvelg and her followers deliberately overlook is that The church is not responsible for even a tenth of Fodlan's problems! No those failings stemmed from the machinations of Edelgard's own allies the cultists Those Who Slither, always creeping behind the scenes in their bid for power.

Upon careful thought Radimir accepts; after a hug from his father, Queen Byleth silents hands her blond, malachite eyed son; a red jewel engraved with the symbol of Maurice... explaining he should use it to ensure his grandfather Jeralt's future safety.

at his questioning eyes, she clarifies the stone is called Aymr, it's an artificial crest stone born from the remains of 'Blutgang' another Nabatean whose corpse was defiled by dark and twisted sorcery; forcing its simultaneous compatibility with both the Crest of Seiros and the Crest of Flames.

After the war ended with Edeldard's suicide, this jewel was recovered from Emperor Edelgard's personal ax. You see not long after the war ended Radimir's uncle Aster and his former student Claude (now Khalid, King of Almyra) indulged their nosier instincts when they found it by sheer chance.

Terrifying origins aside, this stone is going to prove instrumental in saving a certain Nabatean woman's life... Radimir's own Grandmother Sitri!

Grandmother Sitri, the namesake of Radimir's youngest sibling was long believed dead, but what Jeralt didn't know is that technically Sitri was just fine. (mostly)

You see as a Nabatean, (Artificial yes, but Nabatean blooded all the same) Sitri's body is very difficult to truly kill. The labor left, Sitri in very bad shape, whist it's true any human woman would have died; Sitri had a chance to overcome it eventually... Unfortunately with her stillborn daughter lying dead in her arms, Sitri couldn't bear the thought of truly losing her, Even though she believed doing so would kill her Sitri willingly chose Byleth's life over her own. A mindset that led to her begging Lady Rhea (her mother figure) to please save the child, offering up her own heart stone! This selfless love for her child; being willing to die for her daughter's sake touched Rhea's heart. She reluctantly complied. Having surrendered her primary source of life energy to save her stillborn daughter Byleth, Sitri fell into a Dragonic stasis. Under most circumstances, such a stasis would last a Nabatean one or two years at most... but with the absence of her heart stone, Sitri's body would instead take decades to recover enough to reawaken.

The stasis resembles a deathlike state as her body's magic struggles to heal itself completely. Rhea intended to share this crucial information with Jeralt but in his grief-induced panic, he fled the monastery taking his children with him. before she had the chance.

What's worse is that in the events of Byleth's days as a teacher for the Blue Lions, Sitri's time to finally awaken drew ever close only for the interventions of her best friend Aelfric; (a man whose obsession with her was unending), caused Sitri's healing stasis to be interrupted ultimately reviving her incorrectly in the form of a mindless monster that had to be put down.

Queen Byleth is certain this tragedy can be averted completely through the usage of Aymr. by placing this in Sitri's heart she will awaken months before Aelfric can find her slumbering form and begin his blackmail of Yuuri and the other Ashen Wolves.

with Radimir now in full agreement, he gives his goodbyes to his father and younger siblings before fetching his comrades each handpicked for this dangerous endeavor by both Byleth and High King Dimitri.

Crista Duran - Gaspar is the easiest to convince; all but drooling at the idea of killing a certain Duchess Cornelia Arnim; the evil woman responsible for so much misery including Crista's own parents Lord Ashe and Lady Hapi!

Radimir's best friend Marius, heir to houses Aegir and Edmund is also eager. not so much for vengeance but because in his words, Marius believes that by journeying to the past he will get to bear proper witness to the unfolding love story of his incredible parents - in their prime!

The ridiculously prodigious seventeen-year-old Caius Goneril is more difficult to convince but he relents fairly fast after Queen Byleth agrees to let him bring along the "tools" of his choosing! (to minimize his workload)

Halyrion; heir to houses Gautier and Galatea is willing enough but insists that whatever their assignments happen to be. he will not leave Eir's side. High King Dimitri approves of this devotion and convinces Byleth to arrange for Lyr to join Eir Fraldarius in Ylisse and Valm early on to track down unsynchronized Dragonstones, something that was initially supposed to be Eir's solo assignment.

The gorgeous sunrise colored eyes of Eir's father Felix paired marvelously with the rich brown waves of her mother Dorothea, Eir is reluctant to leave her rowdy younger brother Ferrum behind, but her father assures Eir he will be kept busy with Princess Sitri and Lady Flayn's daughter Aine Molinaro - thus he'll be in no position to cause any sort of trouble! Eir brings along only her father's blade Zoltan, her black Pegasus, and finally the Fraldarius ancestral relic; the 'Aegis Shield' in the hopes it could possibly trigger her uncle Genn's memory.

Composed as always, Aedan Molinaro is simply a genius in all things involving healing with Faith Magic. The son of Flayn and Dedue, and older brother to fourteen-year-old Aine, Aedan's mission is perhaps the most straightforward, track Duke Fraldarius and stick by his side. allow absolutely nothing to harm him or his men, essentially putting his Major crest of Cethelene to work. Hopefully after earning his trust, when the time is right Aedan can finally drop information on his son's whereabouts in Ylisse... 

Upon sending her "Herald of the Goddess" and his comrades on their way through the portals, Byleth promises Dimitri and the other parents to keep herself firmly anchored to keep watch on their journey so the children can return safely.

(The portal is created through channeling her magic through the Sword of the Creator, as an extension of her previous body, the Sword of the Creator is used by Byleth primarily as a wand or scepter. (much like 'Thyrsus')

making the sword function less as a Melee weapon for stabbing and cutting but instead, like a focus to amplify Byleth's naturally considerable power; to outright Divine heights. When casting a spell it surges itself through the chain like blade enhancing it to ridiculous degrees, making even the basic 'Flames' spell on par with a 'normal' 'Ragnarok'


	3. Edited but still incomplete!~

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Even as Queen Byleth and King Dimitri gossip - err debate! - amongst their most cunning allies, Lord Yuri, King Khalid of Almyra, and of course, big brother Aster (among others) over the likelihood of Radimir actually succeeding in his blatantly obvious desire to 'redeem' the past Edelgard and help her heal; much like his parents accomplished with Rhea, 
> 
> (Radimir thinks he's concealed this secret objective but both of his parents picked up on it immediately!
> 
> It's over twenty years ago in the Halidom of Ylisse where our focus is drawn...
> 
> We observe through the eyes of two interlopers Eir Fraldarius and "Lyr" Gautier as they witness Prince Chrom of Ylisse flounder adorably in his sincere hearted attempts to wade through Ylissian politics in order to help his new Shepards better acclimate to their new home.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello and Welcome!  
> Once again I thank you for joining my vain efforts in merging the storylines of Fire Emblem Awakening and Three Houses, the narratives are shockingly compatible and really only require minimal tweaking to fit snugly!
> 
> I leave this note because I felt the need to make one thing clear, there will be no bashing of Edelgard in this work. 
> 
> Don't misunderstand, there is plenty to criticize and her unjustified actions will be called out where appropriate it's very important to remember, as monstrous as she is Edelgard remains at her core a victim.
> 
> The biggest difference between her and the equally imperfect and misguided Rhea; comes from the simple fact that in Rhea's heart of hearts, she WANT'S to be saved!  
>  Yes, she'd prefer her salvation come from her mother Sothis BUT upon realizing the truth Rhea accepts things with a surprising level of grace and almost humility.
> 
> Meanwhile, there's Edelgard who willingly chooses to lash out at the wrong party, deliberately CHOOSES to cherrypick information depending on what's most beneficial to her own gain.  
> In short, she is very comfortable using her victimhood as an excuse to justify her unsavory actions and that mindset can't be permitted in any civilized society.
> 
> That aside, in this story, Edelgard is still developing, and with circumstances about to change so drastically she has yet to actually cross that bridge of no return.  
> because she has yet to embrace outright villainhood, perhaps Radimir has a point? maybe it is early enough that Edelgard could find the strength and resolve to rise above her previous fate? 
> 
> In any case, that's a question that won't be answered anytime soon so let's get on with our character introductions blended haphazardly with honestly what amounts to lazy info dumps!

The Heiress to The Fraldarius Duchy is feeling... uncertain?

Yes that's the best word! On one hand, it's fascinating seeing this nineteen-year-old version of her missing Uncle Glenn, alive and well... yes, but he's also so very different from what she expected!  
While Eir knew from the Queen's summary that her uncle had been altered by Grimleal sorcery and the lunatic Validar's own blood, it's still incredibly jarring to see first hand.

That said, as Lyr pointed out; Glenn, or rather Daraen as the Shepards know him... If you look carefully it becomes increasingly undeniable.

Really everything from his cheekbones, hands and lower lips the Fraldarius traits are still very much present.  
Even that exasperated expression in his eyes as a trio of uptight nobles lambasts him over his perceived Plegian heritage; is another clear Fraldarius family hallmark. This in particular is reminiscent of Eir's own father Duke Felix...

While they will soon be making their way to Valm in order to find a mysterious prophet by the name of Tiki, Right now Lyr is distracting himself gathering as much information on current events as possible, particularly the OTHER rising topic of the day... Specifically the stunning Robin.

From what Lyr and Eir have gathered so far; This Robin is another new recruit by Chrom to the Shepards, found accompanying Daraen, and ultimately presumed to be his sister.

Having learned from his father's mistakes and expressed regrets, Lyr is faithful to Eir thus he isn't interested in swaying, though his functional eyes are brutally honest enough to ascertain, the ebony-eyed, silver-haired Robin is exceedingly beautiful! (Though as he's quick to remind her, in Lyr's humble opinion none can surpass Eir!)

"Lyr listen I appreciate your compliments but I have eyes too! Anyway as I was saying before, I guarantee it! Despite all claims to the contrary, beauty will ALWAYS hold weight, even to the point of beating out social prejudice. By the end of the day, despite this supposed controversy over Exalt Emmeryn overlooking their clear Plegian origins to personally sponsor this debutant ball... Well, you can tell just by observing them!

Now whispering, Eir settles more closely to Lyr, while subtly ensuring the engagement ring upon her gloved left ring finger is on full display in hopes of keeping potential gossip from this display of closeness at bay. "Look closely, it's already begun! You'll notice the very same noble, who just moments ago was so eager to condemn her elder "brother" for his Plegian look is currently tripping over himself to introduce her to his son! That so-called lord is utterly oblivious to the hypocrisy of his own conduct! This effort to charm Robin to his circle, while doomed to failure will open the floodgates!"

Indeed, just as Robin, graciously, declines, and politely tries to be discreet in approaching approach her 'brother' Daraen for assistance, the empty space the previous lord occupied at her side is now overtaken by three others! Lyr and Eir both watch on in amusement as FINALLY, Prince Chrom catches on to her discomfort and cuts his way through to allow the seventeen-year-old to escape; much to Robin's visible relief. Honestly, as much fun as this courtly intrigue can be; Lyr is more curious about just what skills Robin brings to the table...  
Of course, he knows from King Dimitri's notes that Glenn will prove himself to be a fantastic tactician, but none of the information provided on Ylisse's future Queen Robin is very detailed. Then again that's probably to be expected considering the royal family of Faerghus's research efforts were focused almost exclusively on Glenn himself. Yes it's a clear oversight but what can you do?)

All they really know for certain is that over time through a combination of her serene conduct, physical beauty, and undeniable skill with various forms of raw magic on the battlefield Robin will catch the Prince's eye... Although it will take a few humiliating instances of sincerely accidental (Yet somehow mutual?) peeping before at last, the two become so enamored with one another's unclothed visage they eventually wed!  
Presumably, so they can pursue their lustful desires for each other scandal-free! (shockingly Lucina won't be conceived until nearly two years into their marriage)

*Sure There's probably far more to their future courtship than that... though in all honesty, Lyr is certain the entire story will be far less interesting than these reductive, gossip fueled anecdotes!*

As Eir noted earlier, This Robin can't possibly be a fool, the certification and status papers, (found in her belongings by Sir Frederik) mark her a licensed Dark Mage;  
a ridiculously complicated specialization that requires the girl to have endured so much taxing effort and self-study, (not to mention the necessity of quick thinking is downright mandatory) to master even the basics without accidentally killing herself!

Eir and Lyr are certain she will find a way to use this opportunity to secure a profitable future for both herself and her "older brother", making their lives easier while also contributing to Chrom's forces in a way that guarantees recognition. 

Slipping out of the ball, the two are mutually satisfied with the fruits of their research, (Lyr is delighted to have a lead on acquiring his griffins, While Eir has been pointed towards a network of "Secret' shopkeepers!) Our interlopers note they have exactly one month to complete their trip to Valm and convince Tiki to help them locate at least four unpaired Dragonstones before sending her off to Fodlan for a meeting with Radimir and Archbishop Rhea...

only afterward, they can finally head over to Ferox where Princess Lucina will be expecting them.


	4. Edited

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> While the Heiress Fraldarius negotiates prices for a selection of certain rare spell tomes with a "Secret" shop keeper named Anna, Lyr Gautier has secured a Griffin mount to replace the Wyvern he left behind in Fodlan's future.
> 
> At the same time, Seteth; Archdeacon of the Church of Seiros is nursing a massive headache brought on by a quintet of unexpected visitors.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Edit: this chapter needs an overhaul, (more than usual) I looked over it and was horrified at just how incomplete it is! So let's try again!
> 
> Time-wise Byleth made sure to give her Herald and his comrades' plenty of wiggle room. 
> 
> With four whole moons to prepare themselves and discreetly sabotage the Adrestian early advantage, the stakes seem extremely low, if only for the moment.  
> Naturally, this allows our cast a moment of levity and reminiscing in mutual nostalgia... before properly parting ways to focus on their actual assigned tasks!

~ Garreg Mach Monastary

We look in on a spirited debate taking place between three of the five young adults gathered in Seteth's office~

\- Absolutely not!", Desperately trying to put his foot down Radimir hopes this derailment can be brushed aside.

"But Radimir-"  
"No! Caius, we are not hiding in her room, sneakily cutting the Adrestian Princess's head off, then stashing her corpse in Hubert's room to frame him!"

somehow managing not to roll his magenta eyes, (really only barely withholding a flippant air) Caius isn't dissuaded "I feel you're not hearing all my good point-"

Oh, sweet bloodthirsty Caius Your point is perfectly apparent, yes killing Edelgard the day she arrives at the Monastery in four months, WOULD technically put quite the dent in Those Who Slither in the Dark's plans-"

"Exactly! See, Crista gets it! Without their precious Flame Emperor and the funding of the Von Vestra family's wealth, what little will be left of their pitiful cult will fall to pieces and the war will be completely averted and we can all go home early!"

"Hey don't misunderstand, I am not defending your idea! there are several reasons why it's utter madness, besides I'm pretty sure the death of any royal would look extremely bad for everyone, in fact, that would only provide an easy justification for the weak-willed Hresvelg fool currently in power to push for war!"

"Heiress Crista! You have nerve labeling Heir Goneril 'Bloodthirsty'! Not twenty minutes ago you were longingly describing all the many grotesque ideas and expectations you hold for dealing with the imposter Duchess Arnim... besides We've had this conversation before, as nobility, you must hold yourself to the highest possible standards! One should never-"

"Not now Marius, this isn't the time nor place for a lecture on my lack of elegance and mature poise."

"Calling it 'Mature Poise' is entirely wrong... though you are correct, this can wait." Turning back to Seteth, Marius bows his head in apology

"That's quite enough! This conversation is over, you've all made your points and offered ideas on how things should proceed. For now please just leave my office! I suggest everyone go to the dining hall and join the Knights for a midday meal" 

Even as they exit, the exhausted Seteth can be heard quietly mumbling "Hopefully the peace from these children will give me time to actually process the troubling news... Not to mention planning how exactly to kill this Solon when he arrives in two months... Poor Tomas"

the short in stature (at least in comparison to his comrades) Caius Goneril is tagging alongside his much taller, bulkier friend; eager to pick his reserved brain. "Wow, Aedan your uncle never changes, even in the past he could always clear a room!"

Trying not to sign, Aedan's tone remains neutral "Please leave me out of this Caius, it's awkward enough knowing he's probably thinking of ways to torment my future father even before they meet!"

"It's that bad huh? Well, I imagine it will only get worse once Auntie Flayn arrives next moon, though on the bright side you won't have to deal with that fallout! I assume by then you'll be in The Shield of Faerghus's territory earning his favor as the medical marvel you are!" 

"Caius, He has an actual name, It's Duke Rodrigue, and the goal is to protect him from any potential backlash your own objectives may cause. We don't want the cultists panicking and targeting the Fraldarius lands early"

Arriving at their table Caius places down a tray packed with delicious smelling food, "Whatever the case, I'm honestly surprised Auntie Rhea took the news so well, it's my understanding at this point in history she was in a rather precarious place sanity-wise... Then again I suppose that's the whole point of the extra Dragonstone Radimir brought along, you all saw it, the effect was immediate!" "One moment she looked ready to transform and incinerate Adrestia, but the second Radimir opened the box and pushed it towards her, Lady Rhea went so quiet-" 

"Dear child, I'd appreciate it if you'd please stop chatting away like I'm not standing right here!" 

"Ah Auntie Rhea! - Your Grace! you've returned from Lady Sitri's side already? I assume this means the Aymr stone has begun its work on her healing?"  
Despite sitting three tables apart, With his sensitive hearing, the uncomfortable discussion easily caught his attention, always eager to "fix" thing Radimir ignores his meal in favor of rushing over, leading Rhea to a quiet corner by the pond to resolve this before things degrade further.

"Lady Rhea, I assure you my friend Caius meant no disrespect! Truly your stable condition is honestly quite impressive. As the research papers, my mother requested I bring will prove, you did incredibly well all these centuries, many powerful 'Manaketes' (as Nabateans are called on other continents) would have long lost themselves to the horrors of degeneration without a Dragonstone by now!"

"I thank you, but your young friend has a point, my ignorance doesn't excuse the very real danger I posed, that's why I've arranged for Catherine to discreetly ensure more information can be gathered, you say Valm is a good source for this sort of knowledge?"

"That's correct Lady Rhea, My mother arranged for two other 'agents' for lack of a better term right now, to do some digging of their own. according to what we know from recorded history right now a fellow Manakete by the name of Tiki is slumbering in a sacred place called the Tree of Mila, with her aid my comrades - a girl named Eir and a reliable young man named Lyr will find what's needed for Seteth, Macuil, and of course uncle Indech... if you time it right Dame Catherine can meet with them to collect the stones by the end of the month at the latest"

We intended for one to be given to Aedan's mother Flayn but as you're aware Uncle Seteth already vetoed that idea at least for now so that stone will probably be given to the younger version of Mother."

"Speaking of Byleth, About what you spoke of earlier she truly is Sothis? Even without the crest stone?"

"Well Yes of course as a stillborn she needed that stone to pump her blood to force her premature and weak body to function properly... but as she grew and developed she eventually outgrew the need for its magical assistance.

in short, though her current identity is 'Byleth Eisner' Because her soul is Sothis, ultimately both aspects are key to understanding her identity. 

at this moment both are unaware and honestly believe themselves as independent beings but in time the truth will be known. When I was young my uncle Aster explained it by comparing mother to the color Green or Purple. 

"Green is a composite of Blue and Yellow requiring both to exist, while still holding its own independent identity.

Mother spoke of how Sothis appeared as a little girl, she comes and goes like a phantom and always very sleepy, that exhaustion comes from both sides refusing to reconcile struggling to split. the worst part is they don't even realize they're resisting, in the timeline I was born it took mother over a decade to finally embrace this truth, and in doing so her full power and past memories were awoken."

"Anyway, that's enough of that,  
Honestly, I'd prefer we move on to something less somber! I know this means little to you now, but I thought I'd take a moment to thank you, Lady Rhea, in the future you are a figure my comrades and I look up to and respect deeply a true member of our extended family. 

I have something here I brought from my timeline, it's a gift you gave to me when I was 13 and my voice started to crack... I was so sad, not only because Mother and Father were both very busy with little Sitri and in my childishness, I felt jealous of that extra attention she was getting...

To make it worse with my voice changing so rapidly I believed we could no longer sing this together as a family anymore... until you gave me this!"

"That's a collection of music sheets?"

"Yes! Look closer this is your handwriting! You completely reworked all our favorite songs to accommodate my deepening voice, and while I was very thankful and generous enough in my thanks, I can never truly express just how much this meant to me... Thank you."

I... don't know if it's right of me to accept your gratitude, but know that it means alot"


	5. Even more Edits!!!

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Forty days have come and gone, With Lady Tiki being Garreg Mach Monastary's newest visitor things are picking up (However slightly) 
> 
> as Glenn and the Shepards make their long journey to Ferox to negotiate with the Khan; Chrom's younger sister Lissa shares a heart to heart with Robin, comparing their magics and discussing potential romantic prospects. (and how it could compare to the contents of the steamy romance novels gifted by Sumia!)
> 
> On a less light end, Crista Gaspar- Duran and Marius Heir to the Houses of Aegir and Edmund discover the IDEA of killing is significantly easier to talk about than actually put in action... Even when the target deserves it, the emotional toll can't be ignored.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello to you all, Once again I express my gratitude for your patience and offer an apology for yesterday's subpar offering.  
> I'm not sure how exactly it happened but Yesterday's initial upload was modeled off the criminally incomplete draft  
> (Even more so than my usual pittance) and that embarrasses me more than you can possibly imagine!

As the rickety carriage wobbles, its way along the cobbled roads, the outskirts of Ylistol's capital are long out of sight, Not that Robin is aware, having finished her quota of research on ancient 'Dark Magics' and other powerful spells for the day, she's currently far too occupied devouring this latest novel her new friend Sumia has graciously let her borrow!

Sumia has indeed accompanied them but since they've stopped for a late lunch break, she's currently outside assisting Daraen outside the main wagons; explaining the exact process of how to tend to the injuries of Pegasus (without magical assistance)  
Sumia is the resident expert on animal care proven most recently when she nursed a wild pegasus to health so Robin knows her brother is in good hands.

of course, this also means she's left in this spacious carriage alone, Naturally, this privacy offers Robin the perfect opportunity for some 'lighter' reading... Or so she believes!

Turning the page Robin can't withhold a breath of anticipation, just as the handsome Knight, blessed by the Divine Goddess is thrusting his enormous, holy blade within the Maiden protagonist's eagerly waiting sheath, she happens to notice a slimy substance wiggle along the back of her neck!

Barely holding back a shriek, Robin drops her questionable choice of literature, just in time to witness a disgusting frog hopping out of her travel coat!

knowing this could only be the work of ONE person, Robin is annoyed but not actually mad.

"Lissa!"

"I know, I know, but your reaction makes the reprimand worth it! Besides, you could use a break! All that study on 'Fenrir', 'Imhuln' and 'Eclipse' must be draining!" "It's actually pronounced "Imhullu" and while I did perfect Fenrir, I haven't come close to recreating Imhullu... It's the spell I need most... Supposedly once I cast it Imullu will provide a near-perfect shield, one capable of defending the objects or person I choose from all but the most specific Light spell, also lost to history... You know Miriel speculates-" "Yeah that's great, I'm happy to discuss magical theory with you but As I said, You need a break! though perhaps a different choice of novel is in order?" I mean don't take this personally but it's not like you're not missing much!" Gesturing to the fallen novel, Lissa plucks it off the ground, "I've read this one (twice!), it's actually the author's weakest work, you'll want to skip ahead to volume four, Now that's where things finally get going! Trust me I would know... I own all twelve in hardcover!"

"I... Uh, um I... I'll keep that in mind, thank you. But really aren't you a bit young for this sort of reading? I'm surprised, Lady Maribelle hasn't confiscated your apparent... collection?"

"Oh don't worry about it, I'm nearly fifteen! Besides it's not like I'm looking to re-enact some of these anytime soon so Maribelle doesn't need to know!" 

Looking down Lissa is suddenly looking more somber "Honestly Robin, the one person I'd even WANT to try doesn't see me as a Lady... only a delicate child to be protected!"

With a knowing look, Robin seats herself more comfortably "Well having no memories of my own I can't offer any wisdom in that regard... if it weren't for my certification papers I'd have no idea of my actual age let alone name!"  
Now a bit more slyly, "Still I'm sure if you give it time Sir Frederick will see you for the woman you are becoming!"

Quickly jolting up Lissa is nearly frantic "Hey! I never said it was-"

"Oh Lissa, that's adorable but subtlety isn't your strong suit. At least twice now I've seen firsthand evidence pointing to just who you fancy!  
Firstly  
Remember the morning after we met? Well, when you called that mysterious boy, calling himself Marth "Dreamy" Not only was your body language completely apathetic but your eyes were glued to Sir Frederick, it was clear you were hoping to bait out a jealous reaction!"  
"Then not six days ago I noticed the suspicious timing for that flirtatious spew at Darren!  
You knew his training routine with the melee units of the Shepherds by now; which means you are fully aware that by four in the afternoon Daraen's sword training was over for over the day, if you were actually there to 'Oogle' like you claim you'd have arrived at least three hours earlier when he, Kellam and Vaike were shirtless! That means you were only present that evening so as to coincide with Frederick's five o clock patrol around the Shepards headquarters!"

Holding her face in her hands, Lissa is very embarrassed, though Robin assures her she isn't telling her like this to demean or bully her! "I am only saying, try a different tactic! I'm no expert like Daraen but one thing I've noticed by observing him in action is that if one tactic fails, it's never wise to double down expecting a different result!"

Kissa looks up with a huff, "What about you Robin? Since You seem to have all the answers, surely your own future is planned out to the last grandbaby! Ever since the official debut party, Emmeryn insisted on holding for you and Daraen you've both been receiving offers of interest! on a daily basis... I still can't believe The Duke of Themis was so impressed by your refusal to accept the jeweled shoes! How is declining an expensive gift a sign of character? You know Maribelle claims it's a sign of careful thought and prudent spending, but I don't get it...   
"Anyway, considering his reaction to the daily pile of letters; my big brother is definitely more than a little fond of you already... though knowing Chrom he's completely oblivious-"  
To Lissa's amusement, Robin's aloof mask of indifference can indeed crack... Lissa is surprised to see she's now visibly flustered!

Sort of rambling Robin tries desperately to regain the upper hand.  
"I have not had time to begin considering my own future, that said I'm far from opposed to marriage... How to word this?"  
Looking around, Robin seems assured of their isolation before continuing on.  
"I might as well be honest.  
Before I realized he is the Exalt's brother, I admit your brother's eyes certainly drew me in... the kind heart and strong resolve he displayed in defending his people from those bandits was another positive impression. If I claimed to be completely unattracted to Chrom... that' would make me a liar.

Still now that I know he's royalty... it would feel like I'm taking advantage of that innate kindness - Truly your entire family has been wonderful to us... so to pull any of you any deeper into our mess, My brother and I may not remember exactly what we were fleeing from in Plegia, but it was surely unpleasant... Even now I still have vague nightmares, the images are always just out of grasp! No to drag you all in... It would be far too selfish of us to involve you any further."  
___

As Robin struggles in vain to sink her own ship, outside the carriage, Chrom and Daraen overheard far more than is appropriate! 

An embarrassed Daraen profusely apologizes though Chrom is only confused, (While flattered he's held in such high regard by Robin he's also uncertain as to what exactly the big deal is! As Lissa suspected; Poor Chrom truly has no idea of his growing attachment. though he does know that due to being fond of them both (admittedly For different reasons) Chrom has no intention of allowing the "siblings" to just walk off into the sunset... No, They are now his Shepards which is a lifetime commitment! Whatever problems are hounding them in Plegia well those can be dealt with together! As he quickly assures Daraen, "Worst case scenario, we have allies in Faerghus, a few generations ago my brandless great aunt married into the Blaiddyd royal household, sure due to the recent Duscar incident, combined with my father's crimes against Plegia, they can't offer us military aid to deal with Valm... BUT they can absolutely be perswaded to take you and your sister in for asylum!"

The name Faerghus, triggers something in Daraen's mind... a single word, Fhirdiad? With this new tidbit in mind, Daraen is about to inquire more hoping for further details, when the awkward atmosphere is soothed as Virion once again loudly assures an irate Sully he is NOT intentionally flirting with her!

At least not on purpose... in Virion's words, it's a hold-up or force of habit from his past behavior that ended when he married his lovely Cherche... once again rubbing the large locket with a picture of a slightly older beauty holding an infant named Gerome in their faces! Once again he's displaying that eagerness to brag about his domestic bliss...

as the group try desperately no to roll their eyes, Only "Teach" aka Vaike is willing to take the bait, asking where his wife and son are... Virion quietly admits for her to recover from a very difficult pregnancy Cherche was forced to remain behind in Rosanne though he will return after this issue is resolved... 

Hopefully with an answer to their growing problems with the rising leader unifying Valm. a situation that is very clearly in danger of impacting Ylisse though Chrom remains confident they can win, especially the aid of Regna Ferox. - Hence this journey!


	6. Chapter 6

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Thus far our "Herald of Goddess" and his six "champions" have spent exactly 47 days in the past.
> 
> While it's true (from a general perspective at least) Things are already progressing as well as they possibly can, it's also far from ideal, The few overlooked details that previously seemed so irrelevant are already causing cracks in the foundation of their plan...
> 
> From the accidental exposure of Radimir's unique Major Crest to the Early arrival of Professor Hanneman, unexpected issues keep popping up!
> 
> For Eir, Halyrion, and Lucina in Ferox; Arguably the most vital issue is money! More specifically the stash of jewels they packed to fence them for gold is nearly depleted! 
> 
> While this lack of funds is partially alleviated by Eir's experience in Opera and dance training from her Diva mother Dorothea, the fact remains an amateur performer's salary can only get three young adults so far!

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Edit; I am so sorry!  
> Another screw-up on my end! I published this before confirming it's completion and once again things were missing! Sorry!

Seventeen days ago...

Princess Lucina (who had just been reunited with her new acquaintances from Fodlan) has come to realize her newest "friends" may just be the death of her!

These two individuals who previously seemed so competent... an obvious asset to her and the future Shepards as they work together and change Ylisse's fate...

Well, combat prowess aside, when it comes to the more mundane aspects of living "on the move" it's become apparent they have no idea how to be poor!

Lucina is doing her best not to be too frustrated but right now she's utterly appalled by them and their lack of ability when it comes to planning their finances!

Assuming she has this right, The three Griffons Lyr insisted on purchasing, plus the rare spell tomes, including two copies of both 'Valflame' and 'Celica's Gale' Eir arranged for one of each to be sent off with Dame Catherine and Lady Tiki so they can be delivered to Prince Radimir), were all completely unnecessary!

Sure the purchase of ONE griffon is understandable, Lyr needs a new mount, apparently, his dark brown Wyvern the "adorable" "Diva" is being kept in Fodlan's future since she recently had pair of hatchlings making her ineligible to accompany him on this mission...

With Griffons being so rare in his continent it's understandable Lyr found the idea of Griffon mounts quite novel and secured one for his own use... Unfortunately, he didn't stop at one!  
Even Eir who is supposed to be the brain between them didn't realize Lyr's ideas for breeding them with the less hardy griffons native to Faerghus, is an impractical and downright stupid thing to attempt anytime soon!

Sure it could work and completely reinvigorate Fodlan's most endangered animal! Regardless with everyone's gold being stretched so thin now really isn't the time! 

What's worse is neither seem to understand the problem, Lyr commenting on Ferox's abundant of wild game ripe for hunting and Eir insisting her pittance of a salary from the Feroxi Opera house will cover the rest!  
Just as it seems things could not possibly get anymore precarious, their initiative to Face Prince Chrom by having Lucina stand in for Lon'qu as Basilio's champion backfired horrifically! While Chrom did in fact win, which secured Khan Flavia her title as leader of Ferox's military, the problem arose when Eir's idea to use The Aegis Shield in her combat for the grand melee. Yes it was a resounding success, more accurately TOO MUCH of one! Poor Glenn was knocked out by hilt of Chrom's Falchion after the sight of his ancestral relic not only triggered memories of his family in Fodlan but ALL three years of agonizing reconstructive magic he endured at Validar's hands... Any fanfare of Flavia's victory was set aside because Daraen or rather Glenn (as he finally remembered) had to be knocked out to keep him under control, having broken down into a sobbing and enraged mess of traumatic baggage all unleashed FAR earlier than expected. When he's in no position to deal with it. As Lyr tries to comfort a guilt-ridden Eir, Glenn is currently in a magically induced sleep; maintained on by Lissa and Miriel but even whilst slumbering his overflow of returning memories are calling out, through his nightmares Robin, Chrom and the other Shepards can hear dear Glenn trying to call out help... not only his Father and little brother Felix but curiously a girl named Ingrid... \----

In the training hall of Garreg Mach___

Radimir is struggling not to flip out!

With Lord Arundel unavailable for targetting until after Edelgard begins her year at the Monastery, He and Caius are borrowing the training hall to kill time.

Marius and Crista have already left for Fhiridad to deal with Cornelia. Crista wanted to go alone but that idea was vetoed though she did haggle them down to only Marius accompanying her.  
Aedan has also left, about a week ago he began the trek to Rodrigue's territory...

So for the moment Radimir and Caius Goneril have nothing to do... Caius can't begin destroying caches because Hubert has yet to arrange their movement; again it's so early in Edelgard's strategy that there isn't much to deal with just yet. 

Solon will be arriving in his disguise of Tomas next week but Professor Haneman definitely wasn't supposed to arrive so soon!  
Yes, he arrives a week or so before Manuella but not until the final moon before Class begins!

Believing they had the time and privacy to go all out in their training, Radimir and Caius were all too happy to unleash their respective Major crests upon each other. Radimir's hybrid of Blaiddyd and Flames being impossible to miss as the sharp angular aspects of Blaiddyd merge beautifully with the curves of Flames... Creating a massive crater from Radimir's fists as the healing warmth engulfs his body.

While Caius's Major Crest of Goneril is less openly destructive, it still provides a solid bump to Caius's movements allowing easy counters as it too flashes before him allowing it's bearer easy dodging of Radimir's blows once it triggers.

Sadly while they were having fun going at it so brazenly, the noise must have attracted attention because once they stop to rest, Caius is suddenly horrified motioning to Radimir.

Looking behind, Radimir is equally caught off guard as Haneman is there, sketching! a closer look reveals indeed he has seen too much.  
right there in the centre below the drawing of the Crest of Goneril is Radimir's! (To be fair It's not exclusive to him, his siblings the twins Eisner and Lambert plus little Sitri also posses this crest though that is neither here nor there!)

Apparently, the silence is deafening as Haneman finally looks up, looking very happy! 

Thankfully for the moment, his attention is solely on Caius, Immediately overanalyzing things wondering how this visibly Almyran blooded boy came to possess the exclusive "Goneril family eyes" and Crest.

apparently assuming Caius to be an unknown bastard, presumably of either Heir Holst or his father! Ignoring their attempts to politely end the conversation, Haneman takes this as "affirmation" promising to "help the child" Caius make contact with his family since Hilda Goneril is scheduled to be a student. (Contrary to his younger appearance, Caius is seventeen years, barely making the acceptable age minimum for Byleth and King Dimitri to recruit for this mission!)

Before turning his attention to Radimir, Certain he must be the result of Regent Rufus's alleged philandering... (All false, While Prince Rufus, (the older brother of Dimitri's father)  
and former king Lambert;  
is an imperfect regent; he is no overspending philanderer! that is slander spread by Cornelia to encourage discord. contrary to rumor, Rufus never even wanted the throne, being delighted when his brother Lambert was confirmed to have a crest of Blaiddyd as that left him free to pursue his own (admittedly selfish) passions.)

Haneman's compassionate desire to help is sweet but unneeded, Radimir has no desire to be "introduced" to his presumed "cousin"! Meeting either of his parents until after they've sufficiently bonded in this era is a terrible idea!


	7. Chapter 7

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> As Eir stews in guilt over her the horrifying impact her interaction with her Uncle Glenn turned out, Lyr and Princess Lucina are faced with the terrifying realization of just how badly their actions can throw off the intended course of history.
> 
> On an unrelated note, With Radimir accidentally bypassing the buck onto Lady Rhea, She is the one facing potential crossfire from Haneman over their presence, Caius is just relieved he's now absolved of needing to pretend he's Almyran raised!

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I need to learn how to properly foreshadow!  
> When rereading what I've released so far, I realized my previous chapter are going to need an even greater overhaul than expected... (it's tagged as a Work in Progress for a reason!)
> 
> I say this because I looked over my notes, it's clear many of my plotted out future developments have almost no context or build-up in the narrative thus far!
> 
> (Take Radimir's seemingly inconsistent characterization! I've mentioned his three siblings Eisner, Lambert and Sitri before but if you read the previous chapters he probably seems apathetic towards them at best; when in reality they are his greatest joy in life, he considers it a privilege to protect them something which is just not apparent!)
> 
> another aspect is the lack of hints towards the background ripples our future children are causing to the timeline, something that is absolutely impacting the future Shepards far more than it probably looks right now)
> 
> I swear this story is plotted out (though that's probably a demerit) if things keep going like this it will probably feel like these developments coming out of nowhere... or worse made up on the spot!
> 
> that's a problem for several reasons (Even if it's sometimes true! though not always!) 
> 
> But hopefully, I can refine myself and become less mediocre in the meantime I ask for patience as I attempt to get my mess organized!

___Ferox___

Over in The Feroxi barracks, As Lucina is gathering her meager belongings in an attempt to slip away before her future father Chrom can find time to track her for real answers regarding 'Parallel Falchion", Eir is struggling desperately to express the sincerity of her guilt to Lyr over having just possibly eliminated the possibility of his parents falling in love! (at least for this timeline anyway.)

"Lyr I am so sorry, I had no idea the Aegis Shield would cause such an unpleasant reaction! You as well Lucina... I swear, I truly believed it would only invoke a slight feeling of nostalgia and familiarity!  
then at the celebratory banquet, I would appear in the background, My uncle would have questions and so naturally I'd lure Glenn into a secluded place where I'd only offer cryptic nonanswers....... than just as he's most annoyed with me and my blatant refusal to cooperate, I was planning a theatric escape using wind magic; ensuring my disappearance while still allowing just a hint of a whisper: "Fhiridad holds the key" to reach his ears!"

Being quite annoyed Lucina isn't in the mood to let this continue "Well whatever your intentions were the fact remains, the sight of his former property only-" 

"Yes, I know already, this all my fault!" Now crying the girl stops her pacing... Even as Lyr mechanically strokes her back to comfort her, Eir is fully aware his gentle caresses have no weight to it, not right now... the shock he's been confronted with is unenviable.

"I knew they loved each other. Before he vanished, yes on mother's end it was immature and underdeveloped... I guess some part of me assumed Glenn felt the same...  
Then again that doesn't make sense. Mother spoke once before of how happy she remembered him being...  
to the news of their betrothal."

Eir nods, "that feels right, I definitely remember my Father; he seemed so certain that due to the Tragedy of Duscar; anything growing between them was over before it could truly begin."

"But think about it Eir, my mother spent EIGHT YEARS mourning Glenn! That's not something you do for a childish crush, yes they were both young; mother especially...  
part of the reason my father took so long to court her was because of how deeply she was impacted by his apparent death...  
Yes, he was also an immature philandering piece of garbage But one thing I never doubted about father is how he's always loved her. It took over FIVE YEARS OF WAR for him to finally grow a spine- in this timeline I just know when Glenn miraculously returns, remembering everything mot- Ingrid will have EVERY reason to pick up their betrothal"

As Eir's tears increase, Lyr softens his stance, "I'm sorry for getting so heated... I swear I'm not blaming you I just...  
You know, that's enough of this discussion Let's just go, if we leave now we can make it to Ylistol before- " even as the words leave his mouth - Lucina interrupts, "No this conversation isn't quite over;" Looking Lucina in the eye, Lyr is curious.

"I'm truly sorry for your... loss, if it's any consolation I know at least one other individual who's also likely to be impacted by tonight's events..."  
I have a cousin, her name is Morgana Lowell, due to my Uncle 'Daraen' not having his own last name in my timeline, upon his wedding to Aunt Emmeryn he was given hers to share.  
naturally, that's the name their daughter inherited."

not liking where this is heading, Eir averts her eyes... "Morgana is bright, she idolized her 'Papa' as she called him... wanting to be just like him she was addicted to his old tactic books. while she has a selfish side that's to be expected from an only child...  
especially one raised without a mother."  
"You see in our original timeline after the events with Walhart in Valm are handled (but still years before Grima rose to power) there will be an 'incident' in Plegia. They will welcome a new king by the name of Gangrel, He will launch a shocking unprovoked assault on the palace of Ylistol."

Lyr and Eir's attention is now firmly on Lucina as she continues, this act will result in the death of no Shepards or our allies, but whist my uncle is busing himself keeping my father and his forces safe a tiny strikeforce of three slip through the shadows. discreetly they kill my pregnant Aunt in her own bed in effort to steal the Fire Emblem."

"Now my mother' Lady Robin has always been very intuitive, it's an extra sense she will grow increasingly dependant upon; (Though it can't save her from Grima) but over the next year, you will probably observe as she develops what she will come to jokingly describe to father as an 'almost premonition' in my future it's what allows her to arrive in time to save my little cousin Morgana. 

Having given birth to my brother Marc only three moons prior, She will be too late to prevent Auntie Emmeryn's death. Thankfully after killing the intruders via spell she recreated called 'Imhullu', mother saves my cousin (through a magically enhanced surgical birth to deliver her) though Morgana is two months premature... requiring around-the-clock magical care; she eventually pulls through becoming the adorable, rambunctious headache my brother and I adore...

"ultimately those are the first events that earn Gangrel the moniker of 'Plegia's Mad King' though that's a lecture for another time- my point is We should use this as a learning experience and do our best to be more cautious with our actions."

"where is this brother of yours? You mentioned him before but-" 

"I truly don't know, We all entered the portal together with Gerome and many of my friends though Naga warned us the portals weren't exact so we wouldn't necessarily arrive together... let alone in the same year. Honestly, I just hope wherever they end up they stay safe."  
____  
at Dawn following morning Daraen - NO; Glenn he reminds himself, awakens. immediately all his thoughts are directed in one area... Home. Fodlan, Fhiridad, His father, and younger brother how they must have suffered! Not to mention sweet Ingrid and the Gautier boy whose so close to Felix... and of course his precious charge Dimitri... His highness! By the Goddess there's no time!

Quickly but carefully throwing himself off the bed, Glenn ignores the sight of a slumbering Chrom and his... um sister? fellow kidnapee?  
While she's become important to him, Glenn doesn't have time to weigh her or the Shepards against his priorities! it's been at least three years... his family is waiting. the attack at Duscar was shortly before his sixteenth year... though he can make reparation to the Exalt family afterward...

in this restless state the exact details are foggy but if memory serves his approximate age is twenty... Gah! there's no time for this! Glenn urges himself forward he grabs his discarded coat and he swipes the money pouch before throwing it aside.

it's a shame that coat was so cozy... vowing to find a replacement if only those Grimleal markings didn't make his blood boil.  
Glenn knows it's unfair to blame Plegia, which is why his anger is specifically directed at the cultists. 

When he returns he's certain his father will want information but for now, Glenn wants to focus on leaving as quietly as possible. Heading to the stables to steal a wyvern Glenn notices a shimmer, the girl from yesterday! is she leaving too?

still, she has his property... Glenn doesn't know or care how the girl acquired it but the Aegis Shield belongs to House Fraldarius! Ever so quietly she sneaks behind the brunette, she's busy brushing her black Falicorn so he's comfortable preparing an underpowered Thoron, to stun her and recover the presumably stolen relic.

unfortunately, he's interrupted, before he can blink the odd Marth boy and another young male - a blonde have weapons out and aimed at him!

"I know Eir's recklessness hurt you but I think her life is a bit too much of a price" Scoffing Glenn, isn't amused spitting out that he doesn't want her head only his father's relic!  
____

Hours later Glenn is short the relic though supposedly it's only a convincing replica... that feels inaccurate but since he got a Griffin and a collection of supplies- if he rations carefully and eats primarliy fish it will be enough to cross the sea, out of the conversation So he's willing to give the trio benefit of the doubt. For now but if she's lying...


	8. Chapter 8

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Even as Lady Rhea is faced with gossip-mongers and potential semi-serious accusations of concealing Heir Holst Gonreil's half Almyran "love child", It's across the sea in Ferox where Chrom and His Shepards face the unexpected aftermath of Daraen/Glenn's sudden departure...
> 
> Meanwhile, in Fodlan's future, Queen Byleth struggles to keep things among her comrades calm... the fallout to the actions of her Herald and his champions comes with an unexpected consequence specifically that of yet another new timeline...

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Even more overhauls to the previous chapters are incoming so please be patient with me!
> 
> I do have a flow chart for this mess, but I'm sure I've still missed something! hurray?

Queen Byleth's power is being stretched thin...

As Byleth explains to Dimitri when Glenn made his decision to return to Fodlan a new doomed world was formed...

Yes, the creation of a new timeline was the whole point of arranging for her son and his friends to even enter the past, the problem is this new timeline has unexpectedly split off into a third, a universe with a drastically different course then can be controlled!

in fact, it's far too late this new "universe" has already caught up! 

While the course of history for the time period Radimir and comrades are currently placed can theoretically be 'fixed' it will be difficult and depending on certain choices it could result in the 'future' being impossible to predict; making all Byleth and her people's careful calculations and planning for nothing!

Yuri and Khalid were both so cautious in their planning, working hard with Aster to piece together an approximate "timeline" of events that should NOT be messed with. all to better control the changes that do occur while still ensuring no nobody's future is negatively impacted... 

Sure it's possible Glenn could return to Ylisse, the problem is even if he rejoins the Shepards, now that he remembers everything he won't follow the original path that led to a gradual budding romance with Exalt Emmeryn that eventually bloomed to love... Princess Morgana and all of Margrave Sylvain Gautier's children with Ingrid are unlikely to be born.

Though that's a big IF!

Indeed if the current trajectory is not altered and fast then according to the history of this newly emerged "alternative world" 

Glenn returns to Fodlan where his presence causes enough problems and confusion for the "Future children" they are eventually recalled by Byleth's power. Their sudden absence proceeds to negatively impact Lucina who grows more desperate... naturally leading to less caution and errors in judgment. One of which results in both her Cousin Owan and fiance Gerome's demise.

The changes and warnings were given to Rhea ensure war in Fodlan is less bloody in terms of civilian lives as Glenn proves a wonderful asset to Faerghus's military becoming a celebrated war hero but Fodlan's unification against Edelgard and Those Who Slither in the Dark comes at the cost of Macuil, Indech, and Seteth and later Rhea and Flayn.

While over in Ylisstol Robin tries valiantly to fill Glenn's shoes as The Shepard's Tactician, unfortunately at the end of the day she just isn't quite up to the task... she has a creative flair and solid ideas ultimately she lacks Glenn's ability to "think outside the box" and put those plans into proper action.

With Grima still being an issue, things go downhill quickly. Even without Glenn as his vessel, he's still a powerful threat. With Lucina and her comrade's aid, (and unfortunate self-sacrifice) eventually, the Shepards seem victorious. though their victory proves short-lived.

Over a decade later when Glenn finally returned to Ylisse to finally make proper reparations and express gratitude for their help in reuniting him with his family, he brings along his wife Ingrid and their twelve-year-old daughter Isolde. the Prince Marc native to this doomed timeline is quick to befriend her and things seem to be going well.

unfortunately, that night as everyone sleeps Grima's remaining essence seizes upon the opportunity Glenn's presence provides. latching on and forcibly making Glenn's body his own at last. Eventually growing strong enough by devouring souls until he Rivals Byleth; killing that world's version of her. (and everyone else but that's self-explanatory)

With Ingrid's sacrifice, these two children escape the massacre becoming the sole survivors of this new world, though once again Naga's mercy prevails sending them and a Parallel Falchion to the past anew. (Thankfully this time WITHOUT Grima's essence tagging along!)

Naturally, this connects them to the very same 'main' past where Queen Byleth is struggling to decide what actions to take...

Besides the most obvious thing which is NOT to remove the future children from their current placements, she can see how that probably seemed logical to one of her many alternate selves, but judging by that world's dead status it's clearly not an option - it just makes things worse!

She's isolated the newest interloper's portal and can theoretically direct its arrival anywhere she chooses, the question plaguing her and Dimitri, where to place them?  
They hold information both Radimir and Lucina need for equally important reasons...

\-----

Caius feels kinda guilty...

Yes, it was an accident but how can Radimir blame this all on him? It's clearly Haneman's fault! All Caius did was indirectly imply he and Radimir have been hiding at the monastery orphanage for years... "it's not like I involved the Abyss or got anyone killed!"

"No Caius it only looks like the church makes a habit of regularly concealing potentially "inconvenient children" should the 'problem child' happen to bear a Major Crest!  
you've essentially just 'verified' one of the most obnoxious and pervasive conspiracy theories!" 

"Remember one key weapon Those Who Slither in the Dark have at their disposal is the impact of propaganda, it can be used for many purposes but the most common usage by their agents is in discrediting the Church of Seiros and all their charitable endeavors for humanity."

"Radimir, I already know all this, skip to what I actually care about!"

"Such impatience! Anyway, one such rumor that pops up (even in our time period, though it's less effective) is the idea that in order to artificially control the rarity of 'the Goddess's Blessings'  
The church will pay people to kidnap crest-bearing children or worse fake the child's death to raise them in church-sponsored orphanages as 'commoners' who will grow up feeling indebted. it's nonsense but some people honestly believe it."

"The way you seemingly 'outed' me as my own great uncle's bastard' (apparently sired with Rhea) AND yourself as the son of Holst Goneril and some random "Almyran temptress' isn't going to be ignored!"  
"Auntie Rhea is supposed to helping Grandmother finish her recovery before Grandpa Jeralt arrives in Seventy eighty days but instead, she's stuck dealing with Haneman, the unexpected arrival of Rufus, and your future uncle Holst all of whom want answers we aren't in any position to give!"

"It's so uncomfortable, the younger version of father is here now too and his inquiring eyes are so embarrassing to endure!"

"Wait so this confirms that secret journal's authenticity? You know the old one we found in storage back home? We asked your father if it any of it was true but he had no idea... it's alleged Rufus had a decade-long affair with Lady Rhea before she mysteriously broke it off?"

"Possibly... I mean, I guess so... but is that really the point here?"


	9. 2.0 (though still incomplete!)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Over in Fhiridad, 'Tea time' with Cornelia provides the perfect setup for brazen murder, Queen Byleth and King Dimitri make their decision regarding the final paralel portal.
> 
> at Garreg Mach: while dodging direct interactions with his well-meaning family Prince Radimir and Caius Goneril find themselves distracted by the appearance of two young interlopers...

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Soooo....  
> Remember those rewrites and overall improvements to the previous chapters I keep promising?
> 
> As you probably realized by now I'm actually experiencing even MORE difficulty writing them out in a legible manner than I expected! I swear on my name; (I'm Sebastian; Nice to meet you!) this story has a plan and isn't as aimless it likely seems!
> 
> Still, I may know WHERE the story is going it's also much harder to describe HOW to get there without sounding like (even more) of a rambling lunatic!
> 
> in any case! It's much easier to continue these glorified 'summaries' but I promise those refinements are coming!

Crista Gaspar-Duran is conflicted.

on one hand she and Marius have indeed accomplished their primary objective... The powerful Gremory and agent of Those Who Slither in the Dark is dead!  
On the other hand, by doing so in the way they did... it's left her feeling almost... dirty?

Don't get her wrong, Cornelia Arnim is no innocent, the journals and useful research they pilfered from her private residence prove that... the thickest one contains her proud braggings of exactly how she pushed Anselma into betraying Lambert; luring him and his son Dimitri to what she expected to be certain death for them in Duscar...

apparently, Anselma didn't take much to convince, At least so far as Cornelia could see, in terms of quality, Anselma was disgracefully easy to acquire, though she never did see her daughter Edelgard again... as Cornelia's journal mockingly note, Once 'Queen Patricia' was 'rescued' on schedule, she was brought to 'Arundel as promised...

Sadly for her since he wasn't truly her brother; instead of reuniting Anselma with her daughter for a tearful heartwarming reconciliation, Thales happily subjected her to a life of torture and experimentation at the hands of his men... frankly she didn't survive a year.

(Marius notes later, with such questionable people for her parent's (The emperor being a pathetic fool easily led astray by the whims of others and Anselma being such a selfish, short-sighted fool) Well... even without having experienced a cruel life of torture and traumatic reconstructive magic to twist her body by the hands of 'Those Who Slither in the Dark' 

As his highness Radimir will be saddened to learn; Edelgard's chances of emerging an emotionally stable let alone a mentally healthy individual... were astronomical at best!)

In any case, having Marius pose as a simpering wannabe follower; Invite her to Tea at that fancy cafe so Crista could stealthily stab her all the way through the neck with a poisoned lance and quickly decapitate her... well it probably doesn't qualify as 'honorable combat'! 

Still, Marius is technically correct, Both his Highness Radimir and his parents the king and queen were adamant they take each other's safety with the utmost seriousness... that means no showboating or unnecessary heroics... Honestly, Duchess Cornelia is not an opponent they can expect to handle 'fairly'.

that said, they really should have planned their escape for the city better as the numerous guards chasing them are proving more of a nuisance than expected...

\----  
"Well, this is unexpected... Something clearly went wrong, Lady Naga said her portal would send us close to my parents in Ylistol's past, not... wherever this is"

"I agree, it's strange, though I'm pretty sure I recognize the Monastary up ahead... Yes this must be Fodlan... still something is clearly off about it. So much of the outer city is missing meaning it's definitely not MY Fodlan...: Perhaps the 'great' Naga miscalculated?'

"First off that's very rude, the holy Goddess Naga does NOT miscalculate, she even warned us, without the complete fully realized 'Fire Emblem' her weakened magic was going to be imprecise!"

"Well whatever excuses we're going with; this deviation does present a glorious opportunity! At least for me! Depending on exactly WHEN in the timeline and of course moon in question for our arrival I can probably squeeze in a bowl of delicious fresh Saghert and Cream at the dining hall before the season ends!"

'Your optimistic ability to change priorities on a whim never ceases to amuse me."

With a playful chuckle Isolde's reply; "Oh, Marc don't be so dramatic, it's all about perspective!" Now come on and pick up the pace, I'd like to get past all the security checkpoints ahead before sunset!"

"Hang on! Please don't go so far ahead; the Falchion is starting to get heavy! Sure it definitely cuts things even more perfectly than I expected... but since I didn't expect to be wielding it anytime soon, (Or at all) I didn't focus on building enough muscle!"

with another fond chuckle the girl Isolde shakes her head before racing on ahead leaving an exasperated Marc behind.

A few hours later, indeed just before dinner is ready to be served, the two have made it through!  
Sitting themselves down, Isolde is concerned.

"Strange, according to the calendar we procured in town; classes for the Officer's curriculum shouldn't be staring for over two moons... yet things are quite busy here..." 

indeed, Marc has noticed the presence of a handful of individuals who are of the right age range, but with it being so early before the term, they have no idea why Garreg Mach is so busy... though his biggest priority is how to ask the current Archbishop, Lady Rhea for assistance in getting to Ylisstol without seeming like a loon

Releasing a breath Isolde has a plan "I know! Let's indulge in the time-honored past time... PETTY GOSSIP! By doing so we can get an idea of where to go from here!." Through her energetic voice and considerable volume Isolde's antics have already attracted attention...

\---  
Radimir is having difficulties focusing on trying to study the Valflame tome delivered by Lady Tiki on behalf of Eir...

You see, Right now High Prince Radimir Blaiddyd is feeling less annoyed with his circumstances... unfortunately that's only because that previous annoyance has become overtaken by a sense of guilt... 

Prince Rufus - Regent to the Faerghus's throne (at least until Heir Dimitri Alexandre Blaiddyd is old enough to ascend); looked so hurt by what he perceived as his previously unknown 'son' rejecting the possibility of a father-son relationship! 

Radimir feels awful, but what can he do? Rufus ISNT his father.

From an outside perspective, It certainly looks like he's simply being too stubborn to accept the 'truth'... considering Radimir's clear Blaiddyd features combined with the Malachite jade color eyes common to upper level 'Divine Dragon' Nabateans (or Manaketes as they call themselves overseas)

These eyes which are so very similar to Lady Rhea's own... naturally that circumstantial 'evidence' combined with her history with Prince Rufus and equally sudden parting DOES paint a fairly convincing argument for why Rufus would believe him to be... but it would be cruel to give him false hope let alone develop a relationship built on lies!

Even so, it remains very awkward! 

Part of Radimir almost wishes he could be more willing to indulge in white lies... kind of like Caius who has absolutely no qualms seemingly 'accepting' the 'truth' of his paternity! across the monastery's training hall, Radimir is uncomfortably aware of Caius 'getting to know his father'. 

the flashing of Caius's major crest of Goneril overpowering the weaker bursts from Holst's minor crest does make for a surprisingly pleasant and harmonious atmosphere - despite the intensity of the spar with his uncle... 

it makes a happy sight, almost enviable. If only Radimir could shake the feeling this whole mess will backfire sooner rather than later.

Sighing Radimir decides to give his efforts at learning Valflame a break... at least, for now.

While it's true he passed the Mage exam with Flying colors; his Warlock certification was admittedly earned by the seat of his pants... with his repertoire being limited mostly to Fire spells and the occasional Warp, Rescue, (and adequate usage of 'Physic and 'Nosferatu') Radimir's magical prowess has never been up to his siblings level...

While he finds the Study of magic, in general, a fascinating topic Radimir is the first to admit he simply doesn't have Eisner's drive and devotion to Reason Magic, nor Lambert's innate comprehension for the healing and restoration arts of Faith...

And that's nothing compared to mother's protege the budding Little Sitri... she's certain to succeed in her goal of achieving the coveted title of Gremory before turning twenty! By Sothis he misses them...

Making his way to the dining hall for a serving of tonight's delicious sounding special, Gautier Cheese Gratin His nostalgic musings are intruded by the sound of a booming voiced girl's flagrantly expressed desire for gossip... turning his attention towards the blonde and her wary-looking companion he notes she looks vaguely familiar, Though he's not sure why at first... until it hits him in shock! Why does this girl look so much like aunt Ingrid?

Well the hair is accurate though those sunshine-colored eyes actualy have more in common with Uncle Felix's family... but that's not possible.


	10. Chapter 10 -Placeholder

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> We take a moment to catch up with Aedan Molinaro, thus far he's proven to be the sole member of Radimir's group of interlopers who managed to avoid any real screw-ups! 
> 
> (Let's see how long that holds!)
> 
> Though as he prepares to accompany Duke Fraldarius to Garreg Mach, it's just as they're finally ready to exit their coastal abode when an unexpected encounter with an exhausted Griffon and its unconscious rider will catch him and the entire Fraldarius Duchy off balance.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Another Placeholder and glorified summary that will most certainly be unrecognizable from its (eventual!) finished self!!

Aedan Molinaro the firstborn of Lady Flayn (Saint Cethlene herself) and King Dimitri's most loyal Guard Lord Molinaro, Is feel frustrated.

While he understood that because in this era the wounds caused by the horrific events of The Tragedy of Duscar are so fresh (Not to mention the true accounts and circumstances have yet to be exposed) his role in the past would prove difficult to say the least!

Though really, Difficult? that's nowhere close to properly conveying his frustrations! The Duke himself is wonderful and he's treated Aedan with nothing but kindness and gratitude for his work in wielding Faith magic to keep his men safe... Even refusing the tremendous discount Aedan offered for his services in exchange for contractual employment!

Those soldiers on the other hand? That's another story.  
Sure some are alright, very cooperative, genial, and accepting of his origins, genuinely the majority of the Duchy's knights are very easy to keep alive, only needing the occasional Barrier spell and restoring effects of a well timed 'Physic' to do their job well!

Others?   
Well, to put it bluntly, some are quite insistent on trying Aedan's patience! 

You see When Aedan arrived at this era his expectations regarding the inevitable 'difficulties;  
came from believing he'd be dodging bigotted slurs and the occasional threats to his life over his clear Duscar heritage!   
Instead what he ended up with are a slew of willfully obtuse idiots, seemingly going out of their way to try getting themselves killed!

Just last week, during another imperial-funded skirmish, as Duke Fraldarius led the charge against the bandits, a group of three cavalry soldiers broke formation to target stragglers on opposite ends of the field who were nowhere close to being an immediate danger to the hiding civilians!

The soldiers in question are good at killing but terrible at watching their back forcing Aedan to divert precious magical energy to perform his 'Rescue' spell far more often than he'd like, to save them from ambush! 

Yes, Aedan is painfully aware the word "Difficult" is most certainly a gross understatement! It's times like this he longs to unleash a volley of expletives!  
Unfortunately, since neither his stern-looking father nor his sweet mother ever tolerates foul language, (He distinctly recalls mother looking to burst in tears the first and only time he sullied his tongue in cursing!) so Aedan can't bring himself to do so!

\----  
-"Of course my Lords, Duke Rodrigue; Heir Felix, everything is ready for departure"

Thank you for letting us know, But Aedan surely by now you are aware you have our permission to call us by our given names?"   
"I suppose my Lord -er Felix it's just, uncomfortable"

"None of that! I know I'm standoffish especially at first but with your skill in gauntlets you've proven yourself worthy of being considered an actual opponent, someone worth studying that means I'll actually remember your name."

The conversation is interrupted as a servant knocks frantically. apparently, an injured man on a strange uncommon type of Griffon has arrived outside the manor? He was insistent on entry but fell unconscious, presumably due to sleep deprivation...

Being the resident medic, Aedan is the first to arrive, even from this distance Aedan can confirm Yes that is a griffon but it's far too sturdy to be native to Faergheus... Triggering an alarm bell, he wonders if it's possibly Lyr?

Before they entered the High Queen's portal Lyr was bragging about how he'd secure a few Ylissian Griffons from the past to bring over to Faeghus for breeding, apparently, he believes if the groundwork is put in place then by time, they are born in the new better future, the Griffin species of Fhiridad will be revitalized to the point 'Griffin Riders' will be reintroduced as a profession.

No this isn't Lyr, for starters, Eir would be nearby, and since this figure is alone, Aedan can confidently toss that fear aside.

now at the stranger's side, Aedan is shocked, The dark purple markings on the hand, snow hair, and golden eyes... it rings a bell. he's definitely familiar with this general description.

Aedan knows it's TECHNICALLY possible... but surely not? This must be some bizarre coincidence! Yes, this young man is probably another survivor like Aunt Lysithia!   
Planting himself down he gets to work on a diagnostic spell. No concussion, that's good.

Yeah, That's the only possible explanation! The others are far too careful; they couldn't possibly... His hand releasing a golden light from the Restoration spell, with the man finally breathing with full stability; Aedan is No longer able to keep lying to himself. 

With a sigh of long-suffering "How could Eir and Halyrion throw things off course this badly?" Turning his attention back to Glenn, Aedan releases a deep breath. He has to inform His new leige, speaking of Rodrigue, he's already here! 

(Curse that strong work ethic and compassionate disposition!)

"You seem tense, Is everything alright with the patient?"

No time like the present!   
"My Lord, I have news about your son Glenn-" 

"Aedan that's not funny"

"No I'm quite serious, I suspected Glenn was alive but without tangible proof, I didn't want to get your hopes up. Well it seems my contact in Ylisstol not only confirmed it but apparently saw fit to inform Glenn himself" Aedan gestures to the slumbering man.

Much you and his highness the prince, My friends and I suspected the Tragedy was the work of a third party. We heard rumors of shdowy cultists working in secret with another dark organization located across the sea in Ylisstol.

Before I came under your employment my research with these comrades strongly implied the Grimleal as they call themselves procured themselves a Major Crest bearer whom they purchase shortly after the events in Duscar. 

Before we separated, My Friend Eir confirmed through her digging the Major Crest holder was male and the Grimleal wanted him to research possible methods of defiling his crest. apparently, it's an attempt to resurrect their wicked god Grima through him as a vessel"

"Why are you insisting on-"

"Please let me finish! As your already aware at the time of the tragedy, there was only ONE bearer of a Major crest in Duscar... Over my time in service to you and Heir Felix I became very familiar with certain attributes of your family's genetic structure... look carefully at this young man!"

"I know his hair and eyes are wrong, but this is Glenn, You can see the traces, The forehead, his hands, the shoulders, even the spacing between his eyes is exactly like Felix- like yourself!


	11. Chapter 11 (Placeholder!)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> As Aedan assists Duke Rodrigue and Felix in dealing with their respective issues over Glenn's miraculous return 
> 
> (On a Griffin no less, talk about heavy handed symbolism!)
> 
> Playful, light hearted sarcasm aside  
> We now join Tiki the "Voice of Naga" in her sincere attempts to ingratiate herself with Macuil and Indech! Seteth, (AKA Saint Cihol) is friendly enough and very welcoming but thus far these other dragons are more withdrawn

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Now that some of those promised edits and refinements have actually been delivered on! It's time to keep our plot moving!  
> (Yes I know it's still far from "good enough" but surely the difference is notable however slight at least in terms of quality?)
> 
> *Note that's not me pathetically fishing for complimets, or positive reinforcement.  
> IM not remotely satisfied with my work thus far, so i'm not arrogant enough to expect you, to find this half 'A doubled S'd' mess to be satisfactory either!
> 
> (so marks the entry of yet another borrowed element! This one from the Dimileth server though I'm putting my own spin to force it to fit in this narrative!)  
> https://msbluebell.tumblr.com/post/636708500173668352/join-the-fe3h-dimileth-aus-discord-server

The Prophet of Naga also know Naga's Voice; 

Having completed their goal of delivering the unpaired Dragonstones to their intended recipients, Tiki has finally returned alongside Seteth to Garreg Mach.

They bring with them Indech a very shy and (almost adorable) fellow Manakete. He's not exactly terrified of the outside world, but after spending hundreds of years locked in his turtle-like Dragon form, his desire for privacy and seclusion has been noted.  
Lucky for him, Seteth has promised Indech private quarters in the so-called 'Abyss' a well-fortified hidden city deep beneath the monastery.

Now, in all honesty, there is supposed to be a fourth member of this party, unfortunately, Macuil has proven himself to be less of a team player. (If that makes sense)

Finding the idea of succumbing to "Degeneration" distasteful to say the least, He accepted the Dragonstone without complaint. Though Macuil also made it very clear he will return to Rhea and Garreg Mach at his own leisure. Before he haughtily wandered off to enjoy his newly re-acquired human shape.

Accepting the welcoming hugs from Aunt Rhea, (Tiki admits it's nice meeting another of her mother's young siblings) As Tiki is already aware the 'Degeneration' process affecting Dragonkind, was a gruesome side effect of the original Dragon Sothis's horrific murder.

So long as the original Sothis was alive and well; her body and latent magic served as an anchor to all her Nabataean children, (affecting even those who outgrew "the nest" of Zanado) ensuring that no matter where on the world they wandered; their tremendous magical power was kept grounded and could not leak out to affect their mental state.

Hence when she died at the hands of Nemesis, it was only a spark of genius on one her eldest daughter's (Naga) part which ultimately devised the concept and creation of Dragonstones. Saving the species from complete eradication.

A way to contain their excess power without risk to themselves or the world around them. That said it wasn't a perfect solution, Not all Dragons were cooperative finding the vulnerability of a humanoid shape insulting. from the most obvious example being the infamous Loptyr.

Even some Manaketes would not find peace, a small number of those who agreed to create one would later find out it was far too late. Take Poor Anankos... 

He was the only dragon to truly rival Naga, and though he was among the first to embrace the idea of adopting a Dragonstone by the time he actually did so the early-mid stages of degeneration were already at work.

All the creation of his Dragonstone did was delay the inevitable resulting in Naga's brother serving as a cautionary tale of the sheer importance of these jewel-like weapons.

Over their trek to Garreg Mach, As Tiki was fascinated to learn from Uncle Indech, not ALL the "Hero Relics" were created by murdered Nabateans... True most of them were BUT a few choice pieces were actually crafted from Plundered graves of dragons who died in alternative ways. While there are a few like "Dromi" and "Thyrsus";  
Tiki's favorite example is the history behind the Lance 'Areadbhar'

as it turns out, the reason King Loog of Faerghus had it so easy convincing Rhea to support his efforts in officially separating from the Adrestian Empire to declare independence and form the Holy Kindom is because the Nabatean Areadbhar had been dead over a decade before her remains were plundered by Those Who Slither in the Dark.

Much like Seteth, or Cihol as was his original name,  
the beautiful and rambunctious Areadbhar too fell head over heels for a human! She loved Blaiddyd immensely to the point she willingly shared her own blood with him to expand his life. Their son Radimir inherited both her blood and crest and through that came their line's infuriating strength! (Even a crestless Blaiddyd will always have more than double the average physical strength)

Areadbhar's Death was a result of a less than flattering incident... a moment of drunken incompetence and sheer stupidity that would force Rhea and Seteth to swear off alcohol entirely! 

It was After witnessing his wife's tomb being plundered Blaidydd was immediately taken by them where it didn't take long to discover his wife's blood flowing within him. Doing what they do best the cultists tortured him to insanity, forcing his compliance. 

Thankfully little Radimir was long taken under the wing of Rhea now "Saint Seiros" and eventually it was his numerous deeds of valor that were composited with his Father's name to later form the basis of the narrative of "10 elites" each of whom heroically sided with Seiros and the apostles after their mutual comrade chosen by Sothis, Nemesis went Mad and betrayed them to plunge the continent into war.

After the war it was actually Areadbhar's son Radimir Blaiddyd who would be granted the status of Nobility, Trgically his papa was a husk of a man who couldn't even feed himself without assistance.

Unfortunately unlike Cethlene, Radimir had more in common biologically with his human father than his Nabatean mother and he too would die all too soon, leaving Rhea distraught at the loss of yet another piece of her family.

Even so with such fondness for the Blaiddyd line, Rhea was happy to assist Loog, especially once it became clear the Hresvelg line was becoming increasingly unreliable and corrupt.


	12. Chapter 12 (Placeholder)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> As Indech has settled himself nicely in the Abyss, it's the monastery surface where 'Naga's Voice' encounters Radimir in person along with the fallout of his unexpected meeting with Marc and Isolde.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Not even close to the final version! Seriously this is more of a vignette than an actual chapter hence it will be getting its own update and overhauls asap!

Having given cheerful greetings to Sitri, Knowing they will be arriving in less than a month, She's working hard on embroidering scarfs and other minor garments to guard against the cold for both of her children and husband Jeralt, (Really Sitri's recovery is coming along brilliantly, Tiki is certain soon Sitri will be able to stand by herself without assistance for more than a few minutes!)

Tiki was just making her way to the dining hall to sample yet another Fodlan style delicious confection when a rush of medium-length blonde hair zooms past!

Admittedly being brushed aside like this is rather novel however Tiki is less concerned by the rudeness and more bothered by the scent of what she's almost positive was traces of tears. 

Yes, she's fairly certain the girl was crying...  
Just as Naga's Voice is about to check behind her for clues or at least context as to what could have upset the poor girl, She's suddenly aware of a young man approaching and proceeding to bow at her feet... right before Tiki can assure him it's not necessary, he darts up in apology, explaining hastily calling himself Marc and noting his Falchion before insisting their proper greeting must wait, first needs to go catch up with Isolde! 

"Ah! The revered Voice of Naga herself, it's an honor! I was expecting to find you in Valm so your presence in Fodlan is quite the boon though I wonder why Mother wasn't aware... you know what it's likely Inconsequential I have so many questions for you regarding my Father's blade the Falchion!

"Gah! What is wrong with me? I'm a terrible friend! Lady Tiki, Please forgive my hasty departure, that girl who bumped you without her noticing is my friend... she's not usually so careless. it's just a few moments ago, we learned something quite troubling...  
Again please forgive me but right now my friend needs me!" Tiki feels second-hand exhaustion just watching the boy run! While she knew from the warnings to expect visitors from the future, Tiki can already tell those two have a different realm of origin from Eir and Halyrion.

Ultimately Tiki brushes it off deciding that's a conversation for another time.


	13. Chapter 13 (placeholder)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> While Caius contemplates the sheer convenience and benefits of having direct access to his family; (or at least their younger selves!) here at his disposal,  
> Prince Radimir feels disappointed with himself in his poor choice of words that led to Isolde feeling as though her 'timeline' is "a mistake"

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello All!
> 
> I recently found my writing comes out slightly "less awful" when I do it in smaller chunks, Especially with something specific in mind... Imagine that
> 
> Anyway, this chapter barely qualifies as an alpha version, Like I said this entire fiction is a Work in Progress and I thank you for understanding and letting me get my mess together, bit by bit!
> 
> Edited: 03/11/2021

Caius Goneril, Son of Lady Hilda Goneril, and her darling husband a formidable Knight and famed hero in the War of Unification named Cyril.

Not long before Caius chose to accept Queen Byleth and King Dimitri's earnest plea to assist their son; His status as 'heir apparent' to his unmarried Uncle Holst's titles and holdings was finally made official.

Surface wise that sounds like fantastic news and initially a then 16-year-old Caius Valentinus Goneril was sincerely pleased, knowing his hard work to earn the privilege had at last bore fruit! At least until all the ever-growing workload became an increasing burden! Especially in the months following his seventeenth birthday, Caius has had no time to himself, something he was taught to value; whether it's from the little things like simply lounge by the lake, or even leisurely relaxing by firing arrows at the targeting range his father set up for him back when he was a boy; it doesn't matter so long as he gets that time recharge!

Caius has always gotten along with Uncle Holst, he's fun to be around even more so than his equally doting parents, but lately, his entire life has been consumed by work! 

Now don't get Caius wrong, a large part of him is honored, even humbled. Heck from an intellectual perspective, Caius absolutely understands the necessity of this role, having known from a young age, even if he wouldn't be inheriting this position, as a member of the noble class such training was always an unavoidable reality, the Goneril territory doesn't run itself (As nice as that would be!)

and as Caius learned from his studies with Grandfather and the Lord of Gloucester, the nobles working both with and beneath them tend to require a healthy degree of oversight if only to keep them from abusing their positions and harming the people who've entrusted them to keep their best interest in mind..it's just become so daunting...  
what bothers him most is the irrefutable fact that this workload is only going to get worse! 

However at least here; over twenty years in the past, (Caius knows it's at least twenty-two years but honestly can't be bothered to do the exact mathematics! That's a question for his Highness Radimir, he'll actually care about such specifics!)

Over the past two-plus moons He's been finding time to relax, a lot more so than he expected! Now admittedly at first, when the younger Professor Haneman contacted Grandfather and Uncle Holst, Caius was very concerned... he'd never admitted it to Radimir (or their other companions) but Caius almost felt afraid to meet with them. Why? Well, that's because, at this point in history, his family doesn't exactly have a positive relationship with Almyra... heck even with King Khalid and Queen Petra doing their best to curb the Almyran's culturally engraved love for war mongering tendencies, there's plenty of room for improvement! (On both sides) 

Thankfully at least for the Goneril nobility, any tensions between nations don't extend to blood relatives, Both Holst and his Grandfather are warm and welcoming to young Caius though both refuse to believe he's a day over twelve!.

(His mother Hilda didn't come, it wasn't because of any mean spirited intentions, it's simply because so far as she can tell, this situation (the appearance of a mysterious Almyran boy with the famed magenta Goneril eyes) doesn't seem to directly involve her, (she's a girl, how can the boy be HER child?"  
Thus for his mother, especially in her youth, She would absolutely decide to just let her father and big brother handle it! Truly it's par the course for Hilda to decide staying home to relax (before her classes begin) is the only sensible option!)

Neither Holst nor Caius's grandfather recalls any dalliances with an Almyran but Holst quickly decides it must have been him. "Father, you would never betray mother! It was probably me, after a rare night of overindulgence... going by the boy's age? Judging by his appearance yes eleven looks about right! It would have been a few years before I attended the Garreg Mach academy proper"

Neither man once mentioned his Crest nor tried pressuring him to trigger it, instead, that specific information would come out the following evening. After an unfortunate argument with an increasingly stressed out High Prince Radimir; "You need to take this situation more seriously, If we aren't extremely careful so much could be lost!" Caius's Major crest activated enabling him to perfectly dodge and counter an accidental burst of strength from the (justifiably) angry and exhausted Radimir.

Of course Radimir was quick to apologize for losing his temper and releasing his crest, being truly sincere in his sorrow for lashing out; but Caius doesn't actually care. "It was an accident, I'm uninjured and that's what matters; I know you didn't mean it so please don't let it get to you!"

That said the incident in question couldn't have been more horribly timed, it Seems Regent Rufus Blaiddyd was another recipient of contact by Hanneman... Through Hanneman's well-intentioned meddling, Rufus was able to ensure his own arrival was quieter and more subtle, apparently, he and his nephew Dimitri arrived shortly before Holst... While Dimitri and his attendant Dedue kept to themselves, Rufus had been silently stalking- err observing the many "children" trying to figure out which of the many well-armed young men Hanneman was referring to - without attracting attention to his presence.

Let's just say that a sudden burst of gold angular lines of light appearing before a stressed blonde young man will attract attention! (even when it's merged with the crest of Flames, the Blaiddyd aspect is all too noticeable) resulting in a sudden gasp from the shadows followed by the most awkward hug of Radimir's life!.

Caius is trying to stay out of this drama but even he acknowledges, Technically Poor Rufus DOES have every reason to believe the strange crest belonging to "his son with Rhea" must be the result of Crest experimentation, something the Church is heavily rumored to be involved in...  
(Of course as the scrutinization of history proves, so far as this gossip goes, It's is partially true! Yes the rumors are accurate that the Church does indeed research Crests and their magical properties, HOWEVER, they absolutely DON"T actively attempt to alter them finding the idea disrespectful and sacrilegious!)


	14. Chapter 14 (Placeholder)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Not long after Glenn fled Regna Ferox into the night to return to Fodlan, a depressed Lyr and company bump into Princess Lucina's theatrical cousin Prince Owain... he quickly leads them to a mentally exhausted Gerome who had recently reunited himself with Lucina's brother Marc and cousin Morgana...
> 
> His love for dramatics gives Eir an Idea on just how to potentially temper the developing situation in Fodlan with Ingrid, Glenn, and Sylvain...

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sub-plot's galore!  
> Lucina observes in amusement Eir attempts to clean up her mess and "correct" the path of history by proposing a return to Fodlan to run some indirect matchmaking, considering how her last bright idea went... will it make things worse?
> 
> Edited slightly! 03/09/2021

-"And so dear cousin it was at that point when by the burning Flamed hair of Eliwood; that being Gerome your Dark and Gallant fiance so rudely interrupted my destined hunt for the legendary blade Mystletainn-'

As a baffled Lyr Gautier and Eir Fraldarius observe the cousins, Lucina finally interrupts.

"Alright, Owain I think I understand! Still... cousin, your efforts are appreciated, Thank you so much for finding them! This narrows down the number of our missing companions significantly!"

"Well, no offense intended, but you might want to hold off on thanking me until after you see them... Marc and Morgana... their memories well they aren't quite right. They don't recognize me or Gerome; let alone recall the horrors of Grima"

"What? How could this have occurred? was it an issue with the portal? No Naga's portals have no impact on the mind... If only Laurant was here I'm sure he'd have an idea... although I suppose the silver lining here is now my baby brother doesn't need to recall mother's death... despite my efforts to soothe him Marc kept blaming himself." 

That catches Lyr's attention, "Lucina? Pardon my interruption, but why ever did Prince Marcus blame himself? It was my understanding Queen Robin died in the evacuation; was that wrong?"

"That's the short version yes, It was in the days following Aunt Lissa's demise, Marc believes himself at fault because he delayed our escape for a few moments trying to gather a few keepsakes from our parent's bedroom. At first, everything seemed fine, he grabbed Mother's pile of organized research, something about "fragments' from the "ruins of Valm" but before right we arrived at the tunnel, a monstrous horde of risen spawned before us. at mother's insistence, I was already inside with Owain and Little Morgana to protect them.  
Mother's instructions were for us to stay put, only Mother and Marc were behind. Apparently, mother believed her notes could direct us towards a path to victory against the Risen. They weren't going to take long. I don't know exactly what occurred next... only that soon enough Marc was thrown to the side by the swarm; I assume Mother must have cast the incomplete "Imhullu" spell to protect him."

He's never specified exactly what happened next nor what she shared with him, all I know for sure is Marc was then forced into the entrance via an obscure pushback spell, before Mother slammed it shut she shouted for us to go, We than heard the sound of her bringing the room down around her to barricade the exit keeping the Risen from following us"

Noticing Owain's uncharacteristic silence, Lucina turns in his direction only to be embarrassed as she realizes he's trying to get ahold of Eir's blade! He's not being bratty and just wants to hold it for a few moments but Eir isn't amused, the Zoltan Sword may not be a holy fang or even blessed by divinity but it IS a priceless treasure belonging to her father!

The tension is eased when Lyr casually brings up the Abyss, a massive city beneath the Garreg Mach Monastery... To Owain's delight, the "Dark and Foreboding" Abyss is home to all sorts of artifacts awaiting discovery! 

That evening by the fire of their room at the inn.

upon hugging her baffled brother, she can't help the hurt she feels over his lack of recognition... though his choice garments are certainly different from usual. more relaxed, it makes sense as according to Gerome Marc and Morgana had been fleeing from something on an instinctual level. the only thing Marc remembers from before awakening is his mother urging him to "Search the "Ruins of Valentia" Neither know what exactly it is only that they feel a need to keep moving. Marc still has their mother's research, he and Morgana have been pouring through it hoping it has clues to what they need to find. supposedly these jeweled fragments hold traces of ancient Alters but in order to get the full benefit of the ages long past, they will need to go to Valm in person. Lucina decides the trip to Valm is an opportunity for a more private reunion with Gerome and her family; Nothing against Owain, he is absolutely family and she treasures him deeply... BUT he's too excitable and Lucina knows with him around any hope for "alone time" would be nonexistent!! quickly dropping a hint that Owain might enjoy some sightseeing with Eir in Faerghus... both Eir and Lyr pick up on this fast; inviting Owain to accompany her and Lyr to Fodlan to experience the Abyss. it won't be a long excursion, maybe a few moons at most, just to catch up with his highness Radimir and the others to ensure things are going well. Owain can of course take his pick of what he pleases from the exotic weaponry... assuming they find any.

Hopefully, nothing is too far off the rails so once the term begins they can discreetly assist in killing Lord Arundel... and begin negotiations with Lord Lonato. afterward, they can return to Ylisse with updates. 

The timing is acceptable because as Lucina reminds them nothing of the war with Valm will actually progress for another three moons, giving them ample time for a back and forth!

(Currently the Valmese tactician Excelleus the eunuch will be stuck in a power play with his rival "Pheros" so Walhart's men aren't going to making any moves until 'she' is "Put back in her place". (Excellus's words, not Lucina's!)

It's a few days later on a ship ride where after securing their mounts above deck, Eir is excitedly whispering to Lyr her idea to ensure his counterpart and six siblings are born to this timeline,

"The problem isn't Glenn so much as it is your father; Sylvain. He needs to be 'educated' and fast! My uncle's presence makes this a love triangle and that's unacceptable!"

"You're really okay with sabotaging your own uncle's romantic prospects?"

"Absolutely! My uncle is an amazing catch, he won't have any difficulty finding a great girl to mend his wounded heart! Besides, Remember my cousin Morgana? Of course, you do, we just met, she's a sweet girl! Through her, we have all the proof needed to know he will be great with Emmeryn!"

Now as I was saying, We simply don't have years for Sylvain to come to terms with his feelings for your mother on his own! So I propose we discreetly arrange for him to get over his own 'hurt' sooner rather than later... to realize he truly loves Ingrid and for her to understand her own feelings"

"Although I suppose that's admittedly easier said than done... Sylvain's pain is quite severe. Miklan and their father the Margrave really messed his head up... No offense to your Grandpa..."

"None taken! I'm not exactly fond of the man myself! both Mother and Father did their best to minimize our time together but some interaction was unavoidable... When I was discovered to be Crestless, he wasn't shy about expressing his honest belief that my parents only kept giving me siblings in order to replace me as heir... when in fact it's because they love each other deeply and enjoy sharing their personal time together!"

"Really? is that how you're choosing to word it?"

"Don't tease me, obviously, I'm not going to focus on the physical act itself!"

"But No, I never did see Grandfather alone after that, both Mother and Father were absolutely furious... that was the one time I've ever felt scared of them; words can't express how pleased I am that it wasn't directed at me!"


	15. Chapter 15 (Placeholder)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> With a little under a month until the Eisner family's pre-ordained arrival at the Monastery, Somehow despite the unexpected hurdles, things are MOSTLY on schedule.
> 
> So far as Marius of houses Aegir and Edmund and Crista heiress to House Gaspard - Duran, (And Cornelia's iced head) things are pretty much in order, with Garreg Mach's gates in view; they fully expect equally good news on his highness Radimir's end...

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello!  
> Sorry, this glorified summary (To be improved upon and made into an actual chapter later) 
> 
> took longer than I'd like... In fact, it will be even more bare-bones than you might have come to expect from my meager writing!  
> for obvious reasons that amount to petty excuses all of which aew completely unacceptable!
> 
> EDIT: minor corrections and additional context added plus an extra apology!  
> Once again I was rereading all my previously released chapters and noticed something big is MISSING! Since it's clear I failed my duty as an author I will spell it out, I was planning the introduction of "Overclasses" something which is from Shadows of Valentia DLC.
> 
> Now IF I'd actually done my job properly, it would be apparent from the inadequete foreshadowing of chapter 14 focusing on Lucina reuniting with her brother and cousin, (that Marc and Morgana) would be the key to this unveiling, specifically through his mother Queen Robin's research. (At the very least I remembered to put enough emphasis on the importance, which is why Queen Robin allowed him to delay the escape) 
> 
> Prince Marc is unknowingly classed as a "Yasha" while retaining the spell casting capabilities of the Dread Fighter class and Morgana is an "Enchantress" 
> 
> due to their amnesia neither is aware of this nor its future relevance but I can't believe I failed to put that groundwork in place properly! 
> 
> Obviously more edits are incoming.

Having long escaped the heavy pursuit of the knights from Fhiridad, our duo is well on their way back to the monastery.

As Crista lazily removes her prize from the cheap satchel, taking a moment to carefully renew the ice magic preserving the severed head to prevent decay, she then indulges another moment to glare in mocking amusement at the frozen head of Duchess Cornelia. something she's grown to enjoy doing. 

The horseback ride to Garreg Mach is such a dull experience but Crista is finding amusement in imagining the ways she could deface the enemey of her parent's further... of course, such things must wait until after his highness Radimir sees it with his own eyes. 

Crista isn't certain how it works but apparently Because Radimir is the Queen's primary point of contact with them, (From her anchoring point in their future) most updates must obviously be directed through his mind. (Though such updates are expected to be few and far in between)

(before their departure, Queen Byleth made it clear; due to their lack of crests while they are here in the past, she would have a much weaker connection to Crista and Lyr, hence the insistence they not separate from a crest bearing companion for long periods)

Observing from the side upon his own rich brown steed, Marius can't withhold his disgust huffing desperately "Will you put that repulsive thing away? You've avenged your parents and her many other victims there's no need to wear such a depraved expression!" 

Crista sighs louder than strictly necessary but to Marius's relief, she complies stuffing the salmon-haired blob of ice back inside the dark saddlebag. 

Relieved, Marius eagerly changes the subject to something more benign.

"I imagine, Caius will be happy to see us, in our last letter, he was most annoyed by the delay..."

"Oh I'm sure he got over it, it's not like things could be helped... the important thing is with this objective and that idiot Myson complete... I still can't believe he was stupid enough to attack us alone! With him dead all that's left of their sad little cult is Solon, Kronya Arundel, and possibly Emille" "Well, you did sort of bait him, setting him ablaze with a fire spell when it was clear Myson was planning to flee..." "Are you seriously judging me? I couldn't just allow him to warp away to send word to Arundel!" No Crista that was never in question" Anyway all that's left is for us to just bide time; maybe lookout for the imperial troops as they attempt to infiltrate the towns and destroy their supplies."

"Oh, you don't remember?" Crista looks at Marius with curiosity; "I could have sworn we abandoned that idea... Those supplies won't be destroyed, after all, His highness wants a large portion dispersed through Lord Yuri amongst the citizens of the Abyss, Sothis knows they need it, with the war of unification being all but certain; the rest can be stored there for safety and rationing purposes. Garreg Mach will NOT be abandoned in this timeline."

"Huh, actually I do vaguely recall that conversation... That was when Lady Rhea agreed to arrange for the students of the fourth house, "the Ashen Wolves" to be officially discontinued in favor of automatically enrolling them into their choice between the Blue Lions or Golden Deer? My mistake, I suppose my mind has been all over the place."

"Well unless one is a complete monster, murder is always stressful! Although... Speaking of Solon, isn't it about time for his appearance as Tomas?" 

"Yes, although if memory serves, Uncle Seteth did say he, Shamir, and Dame Catherine would take care of him quickly and discreetly; though I'm sure Radimir and little Caius will be present to assist... Bless his bloodthirsty heart!"

"Your hypocrisy astounds me, though that sounds about right. Afterward, his corpse will be handed off to Professor Hanneman to study the many secrets it contains... You know what in this way, Hanneman won't be an official professor at all. though I suppose it can't be helped."  
I mean considering that he will be taking over Tomas's duties as Curator... Not to mention the contracted idiot in charge of the Black Eagles, Lady Rhea has no choice but to employ... still it leaves room for her highness and Lord Aster...  
"Yes, Once the coward inevitably flees the bandits the Flame Emperor will hire to try murdering His highness King Dimitri and King Khalid- I mean Lord Claude... That's going to difficult to keep straight!" 

"Yeah but Marius, look on the bright side; that means less friction between him and her highness, he didn't exactly hold a grudge, but it should be clear Hanneman wasn't thrilled to lose his favorite class the Blue Lions to her..." 

"That's true then the way he lost the Golden Deer to Lord Aster immediately afterward; it's a wonder he's such good friends with the Eisners"

"I imagine the fact he still had a very well-paying position to fund his research into Crestology kept him in good spirits."

Through the sunlight poking through the tree's Marius can see the spiraling shape of the monastery outskirts, "Finally! At long last, our journey is just about over!"  
~~~


End file.
